


Blood and Cookies

by IZKitty



Category: Game Grumps, Ninja Sex Party - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Comfort, Demon!Dan fic, Demons, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, M/M, Nightmares, everyone got real jobs yo, the Grumps are all here but GG doesn't exist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-20 17:52:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 38,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13722930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IZKitty/pseuds/IZKitty
Summary: Summoning rituals only work in the movies. Monsters like that don't exist beyond the dark of children's nightmares. There's no way someone could actually call forth a demon in real life because of a dumb mistake they made with their friend after work one night. Unless, of course, that someone happens to be you, and your friend happens to own a book made just for that exact purpose...





	1. Chapter 1

The heavy perfume of incense paired with dozens of bright, gold candle flames invaded your senses as you stood in the center of the living room. You began to wonder how things had devolved so quickly into this; fidgeting smack dab in a blood red demon summoning circle, the darkness enveloping you as your so-called “friends” prevented your escape while you waited for...whatever Suzy was attempting to call forth. She had been the first to claim that this probably wouldn’t work; after all, pulling off a demon summons wasn’t the easiest thing to do, or even the most practical. But for some reason she still wished to tempt fate, coaxing you into the position of “bait” by promising that she would protect you from any horned monsters that desired to steal your soul. But now, watching as she poured over the near-illegible Latin in her wiccan spell book, your stomach was starting to tangle into too many knots to count as you prepared for the worst.

Eyes wandering, your sight locked with Holly’s on your left, and she gave you a nervous smile, holding tightly onto her husband Ross’s hand. Though she too had piped up her disbelief in the idea of this coming to fruition, it had been clear by the pitch of her voice that she was just as scared as you were. Her expression was a mix of sympathy for you, and elation that she wasn’t in your shoes. On the other side of you sat Arin, his gaze glancing over his wife’s shoulder as she mouthed the words of the incantation to herself. Upon him seeing your fearful grimace, the taller brunette only smiled back, flashing you a quick thumbs up before turning towards the leather-bound book again. And behind you, the feeling of being watched confirmed that Barry was staring intently at the back of your head. He’d insisted on taking that spot because he “wanted to have your back, yo.” You’d found it endearing, so there was no way you were about to turn him down. And now, his diligent demeanor was about the only thing tethering you to the spot, your legs ready to spring out of there at a moment’s notice.

“M-maybe this isn’t such a good idea.” You cursed the wavering crack in your voice, knowing that you’d probably be labeled as a wuss for not wanting to partake in any mythical doings for the evening. But honestly, was that such a bad thing? If Suzy was so intent to mess with powers beyond her control, then she could do it all she wanted while you weren't present. Better to end the night antisocial and alive rather than accepted and possessed.

Suzy could only smirk as she glanced up at you, silver eyes piercing into yours with such intensity you had to look twice to make sure that _she_ hadn’t been taken over somehow in those few minutes you’d glanced away from her. “[y/n], I have told you a million times, you're gonna be just fine. If anything grabs at you, I’ll serve as a distraction and banish it back to its realm with these.” With that, the raven haired girl picked up a long wooden cross, paired with a purple spray bottle of what you knew contained holy water. The sight of the almost cliche defense mechanisms provided little comfort. That kind of stuff only worked in the movies...then again, so did the incantation that Suzy was trying to perform, so maybe it was more powerful than to be expected.

Finally, you gulped before nodding curtly, clenching your fists as the ringleader to this horror show set her book down in front of her. “Okay, guys...remember the most important rule; do _not_ break the circle,” Suzy warned, looking over everyone before her eyes lingered for a moment on Ross. After a beat, he rolled his own at her.

“Oh, come on! I haven’t even done anything yet,” he scoffed, crossing his arms in annoyance before Holly quickly reached for his hand once more.

“I’m just being thorough, given your track record,” Suzy chided cooly, keeping eye contact with him for a moment longer before her silver orbs snapped back towards the book. “All right. [y/n], just stay perfectly still while I recite this.” Like you had much of a say in the matter. No way you were even going to blink, the thought of royally screwing this up too terrifying to bear. The margin for error was so slim…. _why_ were you doing this again?!

As you questioned your temporary insanity, Suzy began to speak the inscribed words aloud. The noises she made were incomprehensible, but there was a tone of familiarity to them, your brain certain that you had heard them before in a foreign language of some kind, or possibly a movie with this same sort of setup. The candles flickered as the spell droned on, and you couldn’t tell if it was nerves or the incantation actually working, but your body began to feel hot, as if you were burning up from the inside out. Suddenly, there was a crash as one of the incense holders was knocked from its table. The sudden commotion caused everyone in the summons circle to jump about a foot in the air, with you hopping an extra inch above everyone else.

“OH-kay. That’s it! We’re fucking done here!” you exclaimed loudly, heart going a mile a minute as the air around you calmed considerably. It had to be some kind of placebo to the chant, no way was there actually demons afoot messing with you. Just to be safe, your eyes searched the room once, and then twice over. Demons could appear at a moments notice, right? No way were you going to be caught off guard.

Suzy laughed at your erratic behavior, standing with her book as well as the iron knife that had been laying on its side in front of you. She had said something earlier about it suggesting the intention of a blood sacrifice, which would lure out a creature more easily, but right now your brain was moving too sporadically to really piece anything together that had been discussed before your near death experience. “Wow, I’d say the look on your face right now was worth it for all the antics,” she joked, smile softening a bit as she placed her free hand on your shoulder. “It’s okay, this was just for laughs, [y/n]. Nothing serious, I told you it wasn’t going to work. It was never supposed to.”

You could only stare dumbfounded at your best friend, wondering if you should be looking for a new one given that she had found it perfectly acceptable to terrify you like that. “...Really? You think this is funny? I nearly had a fucking heart attack, Suzy! We shouldn’t have even messed with this shit. And was the knife really necessary? What, is the handle carved from the bone of a goat’s horn, or some other bullshit? Sacrifice, yeah riii-aaaAAH.” In your hasty speech, your mind was still light years away from your current location, leaving you to blindly reach for the knife in Suzy’s hand as you gestured towards it. The thing is, a distracted person tended to forget that blades such as that were often painfully _sharp_ , and this one was no exception. As your fingers wrapped around the spine of the weapon, the edge sliced easily into your palm, opening a thin red streak down your lifeline before you instinctively released your grip.

Upon seeing the blood that was now pooling in your outstretched hand, Suzy’s expression instantly shifted from humorous to panicked. “Oh, my God! [y/n], what were you thinking!?” she cried, dropping the sacrificial blade to attend to your wound.

“I was thinking that everything in this scenario was as phony as this dumbass prank,” you muttered through clenched teeth, holding tight to your wrist as a few drops of crimson splattered against the floor. You couldn’t be certain, but there was a sudden strong smell of brimstone in the air, mixed with a quick burst of light that no one else acknowledged in the slightest. 

Shaking it off, you returned attention to your cut, rushing to the bathroom with Suzy to rinse out the blood under the tap. After a small splash of disinfectant - which brought with it a mild burn that settled into your torn flesh - the wound was patted dry and wrapped in gauze. You flexed your fingers against the wrappings, testing how tight they were before giving a small noise of satisfaction. “There,” Suzy sighed in relief, unable to keep the smile out of her voice. “I’m kind of afraid to leave you around cutlery, you might have a spaceout relapse.” 

Rolling your eyes in response, you thanked her softly, pulling your bandaged hand close to your chest as you returned to the living room. Barry had already taken to cleaning up the ‘crime scene’ while you were gone, scrubbing away the red chalk lines and melted wax from the hardwood floor as a mysterious, red-eyed man watched you from afar - wait, WHAT?

You snapped your head back in the direction of the couch, where you had seen...it definitely hadn’t been human, more of a gangly beast with wild hair and fiery eyes, dressed all in black leather, complete with two curled horns perched symmetrically on each temple. You were sure the monster had been supernatural; no human had features like those. At least, none you had ever seen. N-no. No, your mind was just playing tricks on you. You were still freaked out from the pseudo-summon, that’s all. Approaching the sofa slowly, you patted the now empty cushion before sitting in it, almost as if you were afraid to upset the entity that had been perched there earlier.

“Sorry about noiding you out there, [y/n],” Barry said suddenly, causing you to jump a bit as you turned to look at where he was still seated on the floor. Looking up at you, the shorter male grinned kindly, a flash of concern crossing his features as you curled up further against the couch. “Hey...if you still need a lil’ friendly comfort, my bear hugs are always here for ya.”

Your lips turned up into a gentle smile at his words, arms reaching out silently in quiet confirmation. Barry nodded before standing, bending to meet you halfway as you wrapped yourself around his waist. His hugs were something of a legend amongst the group; a warm, endearing experience that made them damn near irresistible to those who received the chance. However, the shyness of his demeanor made them few and far between...except for you, of course.

 _”Awww, how adorable.”_ The whisper of a dark, gritty voice caused you to leap back, whipping your head around as you searched for the source. Finally, your gaze moved to the only other person in the room, narrowing your eyes as Ross entered with a shit eating grin on his face.

“Very funny, asshole,” you replied, causing both men to give you a look of confusion. Okay, so it was a bit rude, but what nerve did he have murmuring things like that?

After a pause, the Aussie raised his hands in self defense. “Woah, what the fuck did I do? Why’s everyone always so quick to blame me when bad shit happens?” he jeered, turning to walk back out. Wait, if it hadn’t been him, then who…?

Barry’s warm palm touched your cheek, and you allowed him to swivel your head back to meet his worried stare. “[y/n], no one said anything,” he said carefully, as if afraid that you were going to panic upon hearing that. Needless to say, he wasn’t wrong. “Look, you had a pretty big scare, and I doubt that shit with your hand is helping. Why don’t you head home? I can just tell Suze that you weren’t feeling good. I-I’ll even drive you to your house if you want.” The offer sounded too good to refuse, but were you really about to spend a night alone in your apartment when you were clearly hallucinating? It didn’t seem that you had much say in the matter…

“Y-yeah...yeah. I think I’ll go home, get some sleep,” you muttered, looking down at your injured palm once more before standing. Barry’s hand never left your shoulder, ready to grab you at a moment’s notice if your legs were to suddenly betray you and stop supporting your upper body. After he was satisfied that you could walk on your own, he guided you towards the door, all but carrying you downstairs to the parking lot. After ensuring him that you could drive home alone, you were off on the road. Thankfully the ride was rather short, as your apartment building wasn’t too far from Suzy and Arin’s place. It just made getting directly into bed that much more simple, your frazzled nerves ready to forget the day’s events...and the horned mystery man from earlier.

Pulling into your spot, you stalled the engine before opening the door, though the warmth didn’t leave the vehicle as quickly as you had expected. The heater had been on full blast, so you’d braced yourself for at least a moderate change, but...nothing. Shrugging it off, you weren’t about to question something so trivial when there were more important matters at hand, like getting inside before anything could follow or cross the threshold into the building. Buzzing yourself in took longer than normal, mainly due to your shaky hands, the trembling fingers having trouble hitting the correct key. After the third try, it finally worked, and you rushed into the lobby. Nothing in sight...that was a good sign, right?

Okay, so maybe you were being just a bit paranoid. But honestly, who could blame you after the nonsense Suzy had pulled? And the things you’d seen...or what your brain thought it had seen. No, it was impossible. _Imaginations run wild all the time under stress,_ you reminded yourself sternly. The mental pep talk calmed you a little as you approached your residence, turned the key in the lock…

And promptly froze in place as the man from before was waiting behind the door.

A scream bubbled up your throat, but it fell to silence as your lips refused to form the sound, leaving a taste of bile on your tongue as you figuratively (and somewhat literally) swallowed your fear. The man was smirking as he stared at you, seemingly gauging your reaction to him sitting pretty on your loveseat, as if anticipating your arrival. His pose was incredibly casual, chin resting on his knuckles as he leaned forward on his elbows, giving him almost an innocent appearance. Or rather, it would have, if not for the demonic features that offset any kindness he could ever portray.

“About time you got here.” His voice was playful, if not a bit condescending, warm as honey and paired with a handsome face that made him seem even more enticing. But you were now almost certain that you’d accidentally summoned him. Or it, or...whatever it went by. Your mind was still flipping wildly back to a few pages ago, thinking hard about just how that could be possible. Suzy had said the ritual was phony...or maybe she meant that she’d performed it in a not-so-serious way. So it had been a completely legitimate summoning circle, and you’d dripped your own blood all over it. Willfully given, considering you were the one that had oh-so cleverly reached for the knife…

Your thoughts were interrupted by the demon clearing his throat, and you crashed back to the present, looking at him as his expression drew into a bitter pout. “You know, instead of getting all quiet and trying to make sense of me while I sit here - totally rude, by the way - you could always just do what most humans do and ask me some questions? Like, ‘Who the fuck are you?!’ or ‘How did you get in my house?!’ Y’know...the usual shit.”

“I know what you are,” you answered just as calmly, surprised by your sudden bravery. It was as if your body had simply given up panicking over what seemed to be a helpless situation. Why waste the energy? “You’re a demon, summoned here because my best friend has a sick sense of humor and I don't know how to say ‘no’ to her. I fucked up and offered you my blood, so now you’re bound to me until we make up some kind of contract. Am I in the ballpark?”

The demon’s mouth dropped open in shock at your lack of terror in his presence, almost as if he were insulted by it. Finally, he sat up straighter, eyebrows drawn close as he scowled at you. “Jeez, you don’t have to take all of my thunder like that…” he grumbled, rolling his eyes as he defensively crossed his arms over his chest. “But I guess you’re right in a sense. Being that you’re...totally right and that’s exactly why I’m here. Fuck, when did humans get so clever? It used to be so much fun to mess with you guys. Then Paranormal Activity and all that ‘found footage’ bullshit had to go and ruin everything.”

His biting words shocked you for a beat, your brain unable to make sense of the fact that this demon seemed more human than most people you’d come to call friends. And then, in spite of everything that had transpired that day...you laughed. It was like someone had flipped the ‘fuck it’ switch in your mind. What else was there for your body to do? Thanks to your best friend, you were bound by blood to a creature of the night...and he had jokes.

The demon’s head whipped up, roused from his pity party at the sound of your bubbly giggles. A smirk overtook his features as he reclined his lanky body against your loveseat, stretching his legs out as far as they would go. Given his size, he nearly fell off from the effort. “Well, there ya go, I gave you the gift of laughter,” he chided, snapping his fingers as a piece of parchment materialized out of thin air in a puff of smoke. “Now if you’d just sign this, I’ll be on my way.”

Immediately, your smile fell. Okay, so this wasn’t going to be as fun as you’d hoped. Not that you’d ever expected that in the first place. “Uhm...no. Any idiot could kick another idiot in the nuts and give me the gift of laughter, dude. You’re gonna have to try a little harder than that.” Your words were returned with another sneer, and with a second snap, the paper immediately caught fire, blue flames licking at the charred contract before burning away completely.

“Oh, come the fuck on. There’s gotta be something I can give you. No human is just handed a demon and can’t at least _think_ of an offer they can make.” Flipping over on the seat, the beast rested his legs on the back of the couch as his horned head dangled upside-down near the cushions, ticking off the things you assumed most people asked of him with his clawed fingers. “You could get a better job, you could get _a_ job, there’s money, fame, talent in just about anything you’d wanna do, sex…” At the last one, he glanced back up your way, wiggling his eyebrows in a manner that was too obnoxious to be taken seriously.

Rolling your eyes in response, you crossed your arms over your chest, standing by your choice not to rush into this. Or at all, if that was an option. “If all you’re gonna do is crack wise, then you might as well get comfortable, pal. I’m not going to just give you my soul. I’m sorry you got caught up in all of this...kind of, considering I wasn’t trying to summon you. But if damning me forever is the only thing that’s gonna get you out of here, you’re not going anywhere.”

At that, the demon’s eyes glowed a dull red, and he growled softly before righting himself in the loveseat. “Fine. See if I care. Being out of Hell is practically like a vacation to me. And the plus side of you fighting so hard just means you’re a more valuable catch for my quota. So keep helping me all you want, I’m gonna see what kind of shit you have to eat around here.” And without another word, he stood from his spot, moving to the small kitchenette and opening the fridge like he lived there. Or wait...shit, guess he did.

Sighing softly, you leaned against the small marble island that separated the living area from your kitchen. “So...if you’re not leaving my side for a while, mind if I ask you a few questions now?” You didn’t see the harm in it. As long as you didn’t word something weird, he couldn’t force you to agree on selling your humanity.

After acquiring the carton of milk from your fridge and giving it a testing sniff, the beast took a long drag of the beverage, smacking his lips in a satisfied manner. “Fire away, hot stuff,” he responded, smirking at your flushed cheeks before turning towards the cabinets. “You got any cookies around here? Last dude that summoned me had a package of them sent to him from his mom. Shit was delicious, he gave me a few before I...well, you probably don’t wanna hear business jargon,” he muttered, seemingly going quiet at the mention of what exactly he did to the souls he signed away.

“...Third cabinet, middle shelf,” you finally replied, shaking loose the thought of some poor college kid being damned forever just because he wanted something more in life. Were folks really that desperate? “I think it might be a good idea to get a name out of you, so I don’t have to refer to you as ‘demon’ every time we talk. And am I the only one who can see you? I’d really like to know in case you’re bound to me and not just the apartment. Also-”

The demon swallowed his mouthful of cookie before waving a hand at you to stop asking too much, his other clasped around a box of the processed treats he had been searching for. “Woah! Fuck, one at a time!” he laughed, the sound too sweet and musical to belong to someone (something?) like him. “First of all, no way in Hell - pun intended - are you getting a real name outta me. If a human knows a demon’s name, they gain full control over it. But for convenience, you can call me Dan, or Danny if you’d like.” Setting the sweets down, Dan took another swig of milk straight from the container. “Second, while it’s true that I’m bound to you, I don’t have to follow you around everywhere. I’m a demon, not a pet. But to ease your worries, you are the only person that can see me. Just don’t be surprised if I take mild advantage over that while you’re out in public.”

Groaning softly, you leaned your face forward into your open palms, resting for a moment against the counter. “Great...so I managed to essentially summon the equivalent of an annoying imaginary friend,” you mumbled, to which Dan let out a gasp of overdramatic offense.

“‘Imaginary friend’?! I give you access to my infinitely awesome powers, and that’s how you refer to me? Well, I don’t have to stand here and take that! I’m going to go to…! I dunno, the guest room? You got a place I can crash while we get this shit figured out?” It was honestly amazing how much sarcasm could fit into one demon. Danny was completely unfazed by the fact that he was stuck with you, at least for the time being.

After showing him where the guest room was, he flopped down onto the small, but cozy bed, stretching out before placing his arms behind his head. “Yeah, this’ll do just fine. About time I got bound to a human with some hospitality. Oh, by the way...shouldn’t I know your name too? I swear, I’m just curious, I won’t own you, or anything if you tell me.” His toothy grin was anything but trustworthy, but you were no fool to demon summonings, and you knew that what he said was the truth.

“...[y/n],” you responded simply, watching Dan get comfortable in your home. The very one you’d be sharing with a demon for an indeterminate amount of time. All thanks to Suzy and her wonderful pranks. With a huff, you wondered for a fleeting moment if it was possible to ask Danny for a contract that would give you a new best friend.


	2. Chapter 2

You awoke with a start the following morning to the screeching of your alarm clock, groaning softly as you rolled over in bed. The sheets seemed to provide extra comfort in your tired state, which only made getting out of them that much more difficult. For a fleeting moment, you pondered just how badly your boss would need you down at the cafe. It was a closing shift with Suzy, and the late night was typically rather slow, given that most normal people tended to avoid caffeine in the evenings rather than embrace it. But on the other hand, you had some choice comments for the would-be wiccan, seeing as she’d unleashed a literal spawn of Hell upon you with the stunt she pulled. That is, if what had occurred between you and Dan last night actually happened, and hadn't just been the result of a crazy stress dream.

“Ugh, I don’t wanna go to work,” you moaned into the pillow, drawing out the final word dramatically as you struggled to find even a shred of incentive to kick your rear into gear. Potential grilling of your friend aside, there wasn’t much to work with. Well...money and the lack of being fired tended to help a bit.

At the sound of your self-lamenting, there was a knock at your bedroom door, and without a second thought, you weakly called out, “Come in.”

“I hear a certain someone wants to call in sick,” hummed an all-too-familiar voice, and you sighed forcefully before turning to face the demon in your doorway. His pose was incredibly casual, leaning his slender frame against the wall as he grinned coyly in your direction. So much for that nightmare theory. “You know, I can make your job go away in an instant. All you have to do is sign…”

You raised a hand to stop his ramblings, as well as him materializing another useless contract out of thin air. In your opinion, it was too early for his supernatural nonsense. “Thanks, but my soul is worth more than my minimum wage paying job. Besides, knowing how most demons do business, you’ll probably make the whole _store_ disappear, given your wording. And while I’m still pretty pissed at Suzy for all of this, I’d like to keep her on this plane of existence.”

There was a pause as Dan simply stared wide-eyed at you, almost as if he were silently defending himself against your accusing tone. Once it was obvious that you had no trouble calling his bluff, he growled and drew his arms up against his chest, pouting at the fact that he had been found out so easily. “I’m both amazed and fucking furious that you managed to piece that one together while half asleep. Just my luck that I get a stubborn summoner with a brain…eh, it was worth a shot either way.” After a beat, he perked up again, giving you a fanged smirk as he added, “Sooo, I guess this means that I’m coming to work with you.”

Shit. He was really going to make your life a living Hell until you gave in to him, wasn’t he? Well, two could play at that game, and as you finally sat up in bed, you made a mental note to ask Suzy if summoned demons could be controlled in any way, either verbally or by entrapment circle drawn on the floor. You would gladly throw away your security deposit in order to put Dan in his place.

“You gonna hang around and watch me get dressed, or…?” The question drifted to a stop there, not wanting to put your thoughts into actual words in case that would count as an open invitation. It was already starting to wear you out, checking over everything before announcing it aloud to prevent a slip up. But that was clearly what Dan was anticipating, and you weren’t about to give him the satisfaction.

Danny simply chuckled in response. “Only if you want me to, baby,” he crooned, but your glare told him exactly how you felt about that proposition. Raising his hands in mock defense, the demon then exclaimed, “Okay, fine! Fuck, if looks could kill…” And with that, he turned on his heel to retreat back to his room, causing you to sigh softly in relief. At least he was respectful of your privacy.

After you’d changed into your work shirt and a comfortable pair of jeans, you slipped on your shoes with one hand, the other running a brush through your [h/c] hair. When it came to work, you were pretty low maintenance, opting to merely wash your face rather than bothering with makeup. It still amazed you that Suzy found the time for it each day, her routine lasting a good twenty minutes longer than yours because of it. But you supposed she simply enjoyed how it looked on her, and you could respect that. In her defense, she’d yet to have any ‘off’ days, at least none that you had seen.

A once over in the full length mirror on your closet door confirmed that you looked presentable, and after hastily making your bed, you snatched up your shoulder bag before making a beeline for the door. It was only open for a moment, however, before a clawed hand leaned forward, closing it with a soft click of the latch. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Danny hummed, humor laced in his voice.

Turning with a huff, you faced the demon head-on, not frightened by his taller stature in the slightest. You’d dealt with angry customers more threatening than him. “I’m sorry, I thought you weren’t a pet. If you have free will to a fault, can’t you just follow after me without an announcement or some other kind of fanfare?”

Dan seemed taken aback by your venomous tone, and he raised a hand to stop you before you tore him down even further with your words. “Woah! Take it fuckin’ easy! You don't gotta bite my head off. I was talking about breakfast, damn...Don’t you humans sorta need food to keep you going?” You were surprised to see that his face showed no trace of joking or teasing, only genuine concern for the fact that you’d planned on skipping ‘the most important meal of the day.’

“Thanks, but I typically go without. I don’t really have the time for it anyway,” you muttered. Were you really sharing your shitty life choices with this guy now? You’d expected a little more delving into personal hang-ups while living together, as it was inevitable for ‘roommates’ to over share to a degree. But not this soon, nor over such a mundane subject.

Your answer must not have satisfied him either, because before you knew what was happening, Danny was swiftly leading you further back into the house. “Wha-? No way, fuck that. Sit.” He pushed you firmly, yet gently into one of the small black kitchen chairs that sat behind the marble island counter, hidden from view and mostly used for company, as well as decor. But it seemed today was going to be different.

“Dan, really...I’m gonna be late-” you tried again, moving to make a stand from the chair, to which Dan placed you right back in, this time pushing it a fraction closer to the table.

“I refer you back to my previous statement: fuck that. I’ll make you a few pancakes, and then we’ll just teleport there. This place you work at...is it like, next to an alleyway or something? It’s easier to materialize somewhere without also having to cloak yourself.”

Now you really weren’t having any of his nonsense. Was he truly expecting you to sell your soul for a lift to work? “Dude, you’re gonna have to try a little harder than that. I’ll walk, okay? I don’t need your magic to do shit I do every day. Or I guess in the case of breakfast...not do. So stop trying to sell me on a contract.”

“Contract? Who said anything about a contract?” Dan gave you another bewildered look, glancing up from the skillet he’d placed on the stove to stare at you with his chocolate brown eyes. They almost seemed...welcoming in this light. “Look, I know I was kind of a bag of dicks this morning, so let me make it up to you. It’s the least I can do, more so as thanks for you actually giving half of a shit about me while we’re blood bound. Just because we’re stuck living together doesn’t mean this has to be some like, Odd Couples situation where we’re at each other’s throats every minute of every day, right?”

His answer shocked you to silence, unable to think of any rebuttal as the demon finished making your food. You had to admit, the smell of fresh pancakes was rather enticing, and once they were stacked up on your plate, you instinctively cut a small bite, relishing in the taste. Finally, you paused, locking your gaze with the smug beast standing by the stove. “...I don’t get it. So, you want my soul, but you’re gonna be nice to me while you’re trying to get it?”

Shrugging in response, Danny gave you another small smirk. “Just because I’m a demon doesn’t mean I’m a monster, [y/n]. Why do you think it’s so fucking hard for humans to resist us? Sure, there’s some real crazy bastards out there - I’ve known dudes that love to like, torture souls and see them suffer and shit just for fun - but that’s not my scene. I do what I do because it’s what’s expected of me, you know? I’m sure there’s stuff in your life that you have to endure, but you can’t stand.” He then chuckled softly, carding a hand through his hair as he expertly avoided bumping his fingers against his horns. You’d never imagined such a creature ever existing; a demon that actually disliked the idea of doing bad things to people. And yet here he was, making you breakfast.

Your mind was brought back to the food, which you continued to eat happily. He was a bit of an ass, but Dan could really cook. Finally, the plate was emptied, and you sighed in content. “...Thanks, Danny. I really mean that, it was delicious.”

“No problem. Now...if you will kindly give me your job’s address, we’ll be leaving.”

~~~

With a flash of white that blinded you momentarily, the image of your apartment disappeared from sight in an instant, Dan holding you tight against his chest as your body was whisked across town in a matter of moments. You blinked wearily against the waning sunlight, waiting for your eyes to adjust before even attempting to move away from the demon that stood smirking at you. The teleportation hadn’t been particularly taxing (aside from Dan jokingly warning that you might lose a limb if you didn’t stick close to him), and after flexing your fingers and toes to ensure that everything had followed you to work, you adjusted the shoulder strap of your messenger bag anxiously. “...Thanks for the lift?” It had come out as a question in spite of your best efforts. It still felt weird to rely on Danny for anything without him trying to weasel your soul from you first.

“Don’t mention it. I’m honestly super curious to see where you work. Seems like a good place to people watch, humans fucking fascinate me sometimes,” the demon chuckled, tailing along as you slowly exited the alley that met between the cafe and the game shop next door. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice the fact that someone was exiting the one-way backstreet, too busy with their discussions while holding styrofoam cups against their gloved palms, their beverages steaming in the cool evening air.

You resisted the urge to glance up at Dan as you entered the shop, his word of caution about only you seeing him popping up in the back of your head. “Well, I suggest you lower your expectations,” you mumbled, throwing a wave Suzy’s way before crossing into the employee break room. Once you’d hung up your coat and bag, a moss green uniform apron was thrown around your neck and cinched at the waist. You re-appeared behind the counter, scanning the room for where your plus one had run off to. It seemed that Danny had found a comfortable spot to rest in the far corner of the dining area, crossing his long legs underneath him as he gave you a cheerful thumbs up.

“[y/n]?” Suzy’s sweet voice was quiet, but it might as well have been louder than a gunshot with the way you jumped in response to it. “Why are you staring into the corner like that? You see a spider over there, or something?”

After a short pause, you quickly shook your head. “N-no, I just thought I saw our favorite customer about to come in,” you joked, and you couldn’t stop the genuine smirk that tugged at your lips as the raven haired woman groaned at the thought of dealing with the cafe’s most unreasonable regular.

“Don’t even kid about something like that...last time he was in here, he forced me to change all of the cream in the dispenser. It wasn’t even expired! He just said it ‘tasted funny’ to him.” You weren’t sure who had come up with the phrase ‘the customer is always right,’ but you assumed it was certainly someone who had never had to work retail a day in their life.

“Jeez, dunno who the dude you’re talking about is, but he sounds like a douche.” You hopped in your spot again as Dan materialized in front of the counter, leaning onto its surface as he clearly enjoyed you making an effort to look through him. Okay, so he was going to be nice to a fault, as it appeared he couldn’t resist making you seem somewhat crazy to the unsuspecting outside world. This was more like having a prank-happy stoner roommate following you around, rather than a literal beast from Hell.

You decided it would be in your best interest to ignore him for now, continuing your conversation with Suzy as you helped the occasional odd patron. Soon enough, Dan grew bored of the lull that was the working class, and he slumped back towards his chosen corner of the bistro. If that was all it took to get him off your back, then maybe the shift wouldn’t be as bad as you had expected.

At least, that was what you’d hoped, but your dreams were dashed in an instant when you saw a familiar looking baseball cap hover into view from the nearby window. “Oh, no...speak of the Devil…” you groaned softly to Suzy, and she turned in your direction before spotting what you were lamenting about.

“Nooo...we don’t close for another six hours. He’s gonna be here all night torturing us,” your friend sighed. You shared in her sorrow, something Danny took note of from his bored position against the wall, his interest first piqued when you had mentioned the word ‘Devil’. 

Sauntering back over to the main counter, he poked you lightly in the shoulder, a smug grin on his face. “You rang for me?” he teased, but you returned his jab with a no nonsense glare. The last thing you needed was him fooling around with such an easily angered guest in the cafe. It terrified you to think about what Dan was capable of, and it wasn’t like you had much control over him. He’d spelled that out pretty clearly the first time you’d met him; despite the bond, he was still his own person - er, demon.

“Be. Nice.” The words came out hushed and slow, trying with all your might to get across to him that this wasn’t the time or the place to act like an ass. Not that it had stopped him before. But he wouldn’t risk your job for the sake of a prank...right?

You didn’t have much time to test that theory, because at that moment, the front door was shoved open, the welcome bell chiming loudly as Mr. Topher strolled in. Even the way he carried himself made you want to punch him, his round gut protruding out as he puffed up his chest like a preening peacock. Arms swinging from side to side, he made a beeline for the counter, his face pressed into a permanent scowl as he slammed a fistful of change on the marble. “Gimme my coffee,” he spat, and you could even see Dan lean back a bit in surprise at Topher’s attitude, the smirk on his face falling so fast you wished you were somewhere where you could revel in it more.

Unlike your demonic partner, Suzy was unfazed by the bitter older man’s tone, and she quickly counted out the change before handing him a steaming cup of plain, black coffee. He snatched it from her pale fingers, nearly scratching her in the process due to his animalistic swipe. Suzy didn’t even dare to wince in his direction, as the last time someone had given him a look he didn’t like, the barista had gone home crying after being screamed at for being a ‘disrespectful bitch.’

As Mr. Topher moved over to the cream and sugar, Danny let out a snort. “Okay, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but...my boss isn’t nearly as fucking shitty as that guy. What, did a barista kill his only daughter, or something? Why’s he talk to you guys like you’re lesser human beings for working here?”

“In his eyes, we’re just not worth the effort of being nice,” you said out loud, though quiet enough so the monster dumping creamer into his cup couldn’t overhear. Suzy nodded silently in reply, as she assumed you were speaking only to her.

“It makes me sick. But what can we do? His money will always be good here. Doesn’t matter if he thinks the coffee or service are shit. I think he just enjoys causing folks pain, to be honest…” Sighing softly, Suzy then turned to you, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the kitchen. “I’m gonna go count up some stock, even looking at that bastard gives me a migraine,” she muttered before entering the back room, wanting to put some distance between herself and Topher, as well as get more important work done.

You manned the counter alone for a while, easily able to keep up with the evening rush as it mostly consisted of overly patient potheads and night class students so stressed out they didn’t even notice if you got something wrong. In fact, only one customer gave you any trouble, and he made sure you knew each time if something wasn’t meeting his standards.

“I need more napkins over here! Gimme more coffee. The sugar is out in my favorite dispenser, fill it now. I want a chocolate muffin, cook some fresh ones for me. I’m getting another coffee. Why isn’t anyone serving me?!”

After just a few minutes, even Dan was rolling his eyes in irritation every time Topher opened his mouth, and you took notice when the demon stood up to loom behind the counter like a bodyguard as you worked. He glared over at the rotund offender, staring diligently in a way that made you feel like he was daring the evil man to even try and lay a finger on you. “He’s not physically violent. Just ignore him, we all do,” you said quietly over your shoulder as you cleaned out a blender, pressing it firmly over the water spout to clear it properly.

“How do you ignore someone that’s such an absolute fucking tool?” Dan responded, his voice shockingly dark as he crossed his arms angrily over his chest. “Every time he speaks, I wanna skin him and make a jacket with the leather. In fact, I know a taxidermist in Hell that might be able to do it…”

Scoffing lightly, you turned to your horned friend with a smirk. “I know one too, and she’s currently counting bags of beans in the kitchen. How often do you think we’ve had _that_ discussion? We decided it was impossible. There’s not enough stuffing in the world to replicate that belly,” You shared in a laugh with Danny, but it was quickly ripped from your chest along with your beating heart as you heard a familiar voice growl angrily behind you.

“And what’s so damn funny over here?” You turned to face your greatest fear; Topher was eyeing you up like a pissed off shark ready to bite, his face beet red as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead from the pressure in his skull. You could tell this wasn’t going to be fun, no matter what he’d just heard. 

“So you think it’s funny to make fun of me because I’m fat, huh!? Well, it’s a wonder you’re still working here, considering you have no respect for your customers. I should have you fired for this, you miserable brat! You think you’re hot shit because you can serve up a cup of flavorless coffee that tastes like sewage, but lemme tell you something...you’re never gonna amount to anything. I bet you’re one of those stupid pricks living on your mommy and daddy’s retirement paychecks as you become a ‘real artist,’ but that’s never going to happen because you have no talent. You can’t even call yourself a coffee artist, for Christ’s sakes! You’re a failure at everything, and your parents would be ashamed - “

With your head bowed, you weren’t sure why Topher had suddenly stopped his rant, but after wiping the tears from your eyes, you gasped as you found out why. In a fit of rage, Dan had lunged over the counter and grabbed onto the older man’s throat, choking the cruel words right out of him as he scratched helplessly at his neck. But to everyone else in the cafe, it looked as though Mr. Topher had suffered from some sort of stroke, nails clawing against his own flesh as he struggled to find out why he couldn’t breathe.

You were frozen in fear, tears still tracking down your cheeks as you wondered whether or not you could stop this. Shouting at Danny was out of the question, as people would wonder why barking at the empty air had stopped Topher’s attack. And even if you were able to speak up, it didn’t look like the demon was going to want to release his grip any time soon. His eyes had gone from friendly chocolate brown to a fiery red, his lip curled up in a crazed snarl as his fanged teeth gnashed against each other. You were surprised he wasn’t foaming at the mouth with his unbridled fury.

Finally, you noticed Topher’s cheeks turning purple, and you knew this couldn’t go on for much longer. So with a tap to your hero’s side, you managed to lock eyes with Dan, his rage flickering out almost instantly when he saw your worried expression. Turning back to the man who was now gurgling in his iron grip, the demon sighed before casually throwing Mr. Topher backwards towards the door. Unfortunately, thanks to his incredible strength, the light toss sent the heavy man hurdling through the air, his body slamming against the wall before he regained his wits and scrambled further away from the counter. It was actually pretty amazing how quickly Topher’s face went from blue to parchment white upon getting his air flow back, his fear palpable as he pointed a trembling finger at you.

“W-W-WH-WHAT ARE YOU, SOME KIND OF DEMON?!” he shrieked, and it took everything within you not to burst into laughter at his accusation. Dan grinned down at you as you snorted softly, patting you soothingly on the back before giving Mr. Topher the finger.

“More like demon adjacent, but you get the idea, fuckhead,” he mumbled, stepping aside just as Suzy sprinted out of the back room to check on all the commotion.

Upon seeing Topher shaking on the floor, she stepped out from behind the counter, extending a friendly hand out to him. “Mr. Topher, are you all right? Here, let me help y-” The words died on Suzy’s lips as the overweight man stumbled to his feet, pressing a fat finger in her face as his beady eyes darted all around the cafe.

“Th-This place is possessed! You’re the ringleader here, I know it!! I’ve seen the books you read in your free time, witch!” he cried, looking around your confused friend before locking eyes with you once more. As a show of good grace, you said nothing...but you certainly weren’t above flashing him a quick ‘rock and roll’ hand gesture, and that seemed to be just enough to push him over the edge. With another inhuman shout, he stumbled to his feet, holding onto his own throat almost as tight as Dan had been before barreling out of the store.

Suzy watched him leave in stunned silence, unable to move for a moment before she finally turned back to face you. “You wanna tell me what in the fresh Hell _that_ was all about?”

Sneaking a glance up at the smug demon standing next to you, his arm wrapped loosely around your shoulder in a side hug, you felt a tired sigh leave your nose. “You know, I’d personally like to ask that same question…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note I uploaded this at like 8 in the morning so it might not be top standard. ^^; I'll re-read it again tonight and make sure, but my sleep deprived brain seems to like it, so I'll share with the fans!~ Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed, there will be more protective Demon!Dan to come, don't you worry.
> 
> (Also, side note, Mr. Topher is based on an actual customer I've dealt with before, no joke. =3=)


	3. Chapter 3

After the fiasco involving Mr. Topher died down, the dining area returned to normal - in fact, folks seemed to stunningly forget the ordeal in a matter of minutes - while you and Suzy continued out your night shift. Naturally, your friend had grilled you severely on what exactly had happened while she was in the back, and you wished you had a better answer for her. Until a more plausible excuse showed itself, you were sticking with the stroke idea, though it didn’t really explain how a stroke had managed to fling a nearly three hundred pound man clear across the cafe. It was apparently a good enough reason for her, however, so for your sake the subject was dropped rather quickly.

As you worked, you made it clear with your body language that you weren’t speaking to Dan, passive or otherwise, turning your back on him as you cleared tables and restocked the store. He was certainly making it difficult to ignore him, popping up behind patrons to pull faces in an attempt to lighten your soured mood. But it wasn’t happening. You were pissed, no getting around it. Sure, it might’ve been a fantasy for some to have a demonic guardian by their side, waiting in the wings to put assholes in their place if anyone thought it were wise to mess with you. But you were still trying to live normally in spite of the blood bond, and Danny was really putting a wrench in that plan with his supernatural meddling. So it wasn’t surprising - at least, not to you - when a lull in customers got you to asking Suzy a couple of questions.

“Hey, Suzy...Do you mind if I borrow that occult book you used the other night during your prank?” It was hopefully a simple request; you didn’t want to seem too eager in case she wanted to ask why you would have such a sudden interest on something that had effectively scared you half to death a couple of days ago.

Thankfully, it wasn’t unlike either of you to borrow things from one another, and Suzy nodded before you could even get a good enough lie cooked up in your head. “Sure! I knew you couldn’t stay away from my spoopy spellbooks forever,” she joked, voice going a bit dark before it returned to its usual cheerful tone. “Surprised you’d pick that one, though. You were white as a sheet when you left my house that night.” Okay, so you'd have to do _some_ verbal gymnastics to convince her. It was still less questioning than you'd anticipated.

“...I was hemorrhaging, Suze. Pretty sure that was more or less from the blood loss,” you retorted, laughing alongside her as she rifled through her bag.

“Lucky for you, I was planning on reading up on this one. Gotta stay up to date on my summoning skills, after all,” she commented, handing you the leather bound tome. Dan eyed it warily, glancing from it to you and back again. You continued to act like he wasn’t there, something that was undoubtedly upsetting him from the way he held his rigid stance.

Running your thumb over the spine of the book, your other hand flipped the pages idly. You could tell why the demon next to you was so antsy; the stack of parchment seemed to radiate pure power in your palms, its inked words whispering out to you in an attempt to say them aloud. Was it because you were tethered to a hellish creature now that you could sense its abilities? Or maybe your mind was just running wild again… “Well, like Topher said, you are our ringleader, master,” you droned dramatically before giggling, to which Suzy merely scoffed.

“Oh, please. I still don’t know what he was on about. I may be a wiccan, but I have standards. The day I curse a crappy coffee shop, the Devil better wear mittens to work.” Looking you up and down, she then tried again by asking, “So you’re sure it was a stroke that caused all that ruckus? You can tell me if you paid someone to rough him up, I swear I won’t turn you in if you did.” While Suzy’s wording had been a joke, you felt Dan nudge your back as he chuckled softly, but you shuffled away from him.

“I didn’t ask _anyone_ to do that. Granted, I may have wanted it to happen, but it wasn’t like, an order, or anything.” Your tone was casual, but it took everything in you not to glare up at the fidgeting demon standing behind the counter, his smirk gone as his expression took on a more guilty appearance. Now he was starting to get the picture. While you weren’t chastising his verbal support in the slightest, his little stunt might as well have literally thrust you out into the spotlight on the floor of the cafe, instead of Mr. Topher. You could still feel everyone staring at you as they watched the scene unfold, their eyes accusing as if you had done something to provoke the attack.

That wasn’t going to happen again. Not if you could help it.

With the book safely stored in your messenger bag, you finished out your shift with silence from the demon, and the two of you didn’t speak another word until it was time to go home.

~~~

As the coffee shop was locked up for the evening, Dan could tell that you were still in no mood to talk, so he kept to himself as you didn’t even ask to be teleported back to the apartment. Instead, you chose to walk, trudging down the sidewalk as Suzy waved goodbye, her destination in the opposite direction. You returned the gesture before focusing on the road, your demonic companion tagging along with his hands in his pockets.

After several more minutes of nothing but the soft tap of your footsteps on the pavement cutting the silence, Danny let out a frustrated huff, sidestepping in front of you to stop you in your tracks. “Okay...you’re rightfully pissed off at me, and I get that. But are you seriously just not going to say a fucking word to me until we get this shit with your soul sorted out? Because knowing you, that might take a long ass time, and I don’t do well with extended silences-”

“I’ve noticed. You also don’t do well with demeaning monologues either, apparently,” you snapped, able to speak aloud to him as no one else was occupying the street. Your words cut deep, and he visibly shrunk back from them, but you didn’t care. He was going to have to learn one way or another what you considered acceptable behavior in public.

You walked around him to continue on your way, and after a beat, he followed behind like a lost puppy, his body slumped over as he dejectedly took the mortal way home with you. Once you reached the building, you were quick to slide your card and move inside, holding the door for a moment to allow Danny time to get in as well. Once you were in the elevator, you didn’t hesitate to pull out the ancient book that Suzy had let you borrow, discovering the section with your demon’s particular incantation rather easily. While it was helpful in studying up on the ins and outs of creature control, what you didn’t care to admit was that it was so simple to find because you had flipped to the only pages with droplets of blood splattered on them.

“Fuck...are you actually gonna read that thing? I thought you were just borrowing it to fuck with me, or something,” Dan groaned, turning away from the thick tome with a snarl as you gave it a glance over. If anything, his distaste in it only fueled your desire to keep reading.

“Technically, you’re still right,” you replied coolly, muttering a few of the words labeled under ‘banishment’ to yourself in an attempt to watch the demon squirm a bit more. Needless to say, it worked; Danny was soon covering his ears against your quiet whispers.

“Please, don’t do that,” he whined, only growing more frustrated when you merely smirked at his lamenting tone, your voice not hesitating in speaking for a moment. If anything, it only grew louder as you read on. “You have no idea what that shit sounds like to me, it’s like nails on a chalkboard. Imagine being told to fuck off and beaten with a stick while you're chained in place.”

Closing the book with a snap, you glanced at Dan before replying, “Well, maybe it’ll give you some perspective on how I felt in the cafe. You feel your heart sinking into your shoes with fear and humiliation, but know there’s no way of making it stop? Welcome to my world, dude…” There was another piercing silence as the elevator finally reached your floor, and you slipped the spellbook back into your bag as the elderly woman who lived down the hall from you stood behind the sliding metal doors. 

Mrs. Connor was probably the oldest person living in your apartment complex, as most of the cheaper rooms were typically taken up by college dropouts and failed artists at least three times younger than her, with you falling into the latter category. Her muumuus and hair curlers were a shocking contrast to the dirty hoodies and ripped jeans that you were used to seeing on the other residents. Despite this, she was a favorite tennant of yours, always kind and willing to lend a hand if you needed someone to talk to. “Hello, Mrs. C! You’re up late tonight.” Your voice was amazingly normal, almost cheerful as you greeted her, and she returned the expression with a sweet smile of her own.

“Why hello, dear! Yes, I’m afraid I need to pop by the convenience store for a few essentials,” she replied feebly, squinting through her bifocals as her gaze seemingly focused directly on Dan. Your heart froze mid-beat when she then politely asked, “[y/n], aren’t you going to introduce me to your handsome friend?”

Neither you nor Dan said a word, glancing at one another as you weren’t sure if he should try to answer her or not. After a tense moment of silent contemplation, he cleared his throat, giving the older woman a toothy grin. “You may call me Danny, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet such a lovely young lady,” he hummed, reaching out to lightly kiss the back of her hand, to which Mrs. Connor giggled in delight.

“Oh, you flatter me, you sweet thing,” she cooed, glancing back up at you with a wink. “Looks like you landed quite the gentleman, [y/n]. Better be careful, or I might have to sweep him away from you.” After you gave a nervous chuckle in response, Mrs. Connor wished you both a good night, pressing the nearby button before heading down with the elevator.

Once she was gone, you whipped your attention back to Dan, cheer dissolving into heated anger as you jabbed a finger in his chest. “You told me that no human other than me can see you!” you hissed, upset that he had obviously lied to you.

“Yeah, because that’s usually how it fucking works!” he retorted, gently moving your hand away from him before raising his own in self defense. “[y/n], that scared me shitless just as much as it did you. Does that broad read occult books in her free time, or some shit? Well that, or she dabbled in some dark arts as a kid…either way, the _fuck_??”

At the thought of Mrs. Connor summoning a demon that was anything like Dan, you couldn’t help but laugh out loud, shaking your head as you turned the key to your apartment. “Oh, yeah man. Doesn’t she look like the type that would make voodoo dolls of her grandkids’ bullies to get back at them? Get real, Dan…”

The demon simply shrugged as he flopped down on the couch, kicking his feet up as he relaxed, reveling in the fact that the attention was finally off of his social faux pas from earlier. “You’d be surprised, I’ve met folks of all ages, races, religions...no one is turned away by my summons. Bring us your desperate, your poor, your sexually frustrated...three guesses which one of those is my favorite type.” He smirked up at you, but it quickly diminished when he found that your nose was right back in Suzy’s occult book. “Would you put that fucking thing away?!” he moaned, pressing his palms to his face as he rubbed at his temples in frustration.

You stepped into the kitchen without a word to him, your eyes reading over a particularly interesting section of the book as he followed you with his gaze. With one hand holding the volume, the other reached for a cylindrical container of salt in the pantry, something that Dan certainly took notice to. “H-h-hey. What, uh...w-whatcha readin’ in that book, [y/n]?” he asked warily, backing up against the couch’s headrest as you approached with the harmless mineral. Well...to you, it was harmless. But the book was quick to tell you that it was not the case for your demon friend.

“You said you wanna learn more about humans? Fine. I’m going to show you a regular custom between two people who live together…” Working quickly, you formed a complete ring of salt around the sofa, setting it on the coffee table as the demon curled himself up on the middle cushion in fear. “When one fucks up, the other banishes them to the couch. You’re sleeping here tonight, pal. End of story.”

“What?! Aw, c’mon [y/n]!!” Dan shouted, his chocolate eyes a mix of anger and betrayal as he tried with all his might to make his lanky body as small as possible against the lumpy pillows, tucking his legs underneath him as he glumly sat with a frown on his face. He looked like a pouting child that was told he couldn’t have ice cream. You guessed that it made you the adult in this scenario, a scary thought in and of itself.

“Nope, no way I’m letting you out of there until tomorrow. From now on, no more fucking with people unless I approve. Got it?” Danny merely grumbled in reply, so you crossed your arms over your chest, glancing down at the still-open container of salt. “...The book says I can throw some of this directly at you, too. Won’t burn you too much, just enough to irritate the skin and piss you off.”

There was a pause as Dan tried to call your bluff, but unfortunately for him, there was none. You were not about to have to obedience train a demon. In the end, your stubbornness won out. “Whatever,” he muttered, rolling over on the makeshift bed to turn his back to you. “I thought you were gonna be cool…”

With a sigh, you moved away as well, retreating into your bedroom as your heart sunk like a stone. “Yeah….I could say the same thing about you.”

~~~

It took a while for you to finally sleep that night, long after you'd performed your evening routine and tucked into bed. Your mind couldn't stop racing back to Dan, fighting every urge to go out to the living room, lift his sentence, apologize and let things revert back into your awkward sitcom-like existence. But if you weren't stern on this, his behavior towards other humans would never change; giving a demon free range over your life didn’t seem like an incredibly enticing idea. You sighed softly in irritation. This really was a lot like having a dog around the house…if the dog could also talk and manage to screw up your meager existence with the flick of its wrist.

Despite your brain still revving into overdrive, you eventually passed out due to sheer exhaustion, breathing evenly as you drifted off. A small piece of you attempted to focus for a moment on pleasant things - _silent meadows warmed by the sun, an evening out with friends at an arcade, cozy blankets on a cold rainy night_ \- in a last ditch effort to find at least some respite in your dreams. Finally, the droning words slowed to a stop as you lost consciousness.

Your dreams were anything but welcoming.

In an instant, you found yourself waking up in a poorly lit alley, its every inch teeming with horrors that growled and snapped at you, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. The murky brick walls, paired with a dense gray fog that surrounded them, provided no comfort as you could only think of one logical thing to do; run.

Your steps were almost mechanically driven as you raced into the darkness, feet thudding hard against the cracked, trash-strewn pavement. The beasts flanked from all sides, making freedom from them seem near impossible. Eyes darting for a way out, there seemed to be nowhere to go but straight forward. Was it your imagination, or were the walls closing in on you?

Growls melted into whispers as the creatures started to take form, though even that was a loose term for the long shadowy shapes that now filled your vision, backs crooked and grins twisted into horrified exaggerations of normalcy. Their eyes glowed a hellish red, clawed fingers messily scraping against the brick, and you could hear their voices filling your head. 

_**Kill, destroy, kill, bleed...** _

As you tasted the exasperated burn in your parched throat, your hands clapped against your ears in a vain attempt to keep them out of your mind. Still their hissed breath tickled the back of your neck as you made your escape. Suddenly, the alleyway leveled out in a dead end, causing you to stop in your tracks, heart hammering against your ribs.

_**Destroy, cut, kill, KILL.** _

Whipping around on the spot, your hopes were dashed as the monsters blocked your only exit, and you crumbled to the ground in defeat, curling up in frozen fear. So many evil thoughts being pushed into your mind, but through the muddled mist, you could suddenly hear one voice clear as day;

_**Wake up.** _

While quiet, it was powerful, and you felt a strange pull in your chest as you slowly looked up. A familiar figure stood before you, blocking the shadowy figures from coming closer. He stared blankly down at you, his expression trying not to show as much concern as he felt, though a tiny piece of you knew that he was only there because he cared. You allowed your mouth to fall open as you whispered out.

“...D-Dan?”

~~~

With a start, you awoke from your nightmare, sitting bolt upright in your bed. Gasping softly, your eyes scanned around the room, until your gaze came to a stop on the smug demon sitting up by the headrest. “Danny? W-wha-? What are you…? B-but the salt ring…” Your brain was still on autopilot from its rude awakening, and you instinctively wiped the sleep from your [e/c] eyes, trying to piece together what had just happened.

Dan gave a nervous chuckle as he twiddled his thumbs, worried that he would be in more trouble for leaving his designated ‘time out’ zone. But as he would assure you, it was for a good cause. “Yeeeah...I didn’t wanna burst your bubble out there because you seemed like you needed the win - and I still felt like a bag of dicks for what went down at the cafe. So I politely forgot to mention that you can trap me in a ring of salt, but if I break it in any way, I can leave. When I heard you in here freaking out, I threw a couch cushion at it to scatter one end. Most true blue demon hunters glue that shit down in some way, or paint it in advance and hide it if they’re really fuckin’ hardcore. We walk into one, we can’t walk out. And if it’s stuck to the floor, we’re basically fucked and at their mercy.”

Scowling a bit, you let your arm drop to your side as you glumly croaked, “Leave it to me to not read the fine print on the summons that fucked me in the first place.” After a short pause, you raised a brow curiously as something he’d said during his rant registered in your mind. “Wait...you heard me freaking out in my sleep?”

The demon nodded solemnly, all traces of humor gone from his face as he muttered, “You were having a bad time, I could tell just from looking at you. N-not that I was trying to watch you sleep! You were just...whimpering and trying to get away from something. I felt like I had an idea of what it was once you mentioned ‘shadows in the walls’ or...something to that effect, so I decided to just cut out the middleman and slipped into your nightmare. Our bond made it easy, I’m sure you felt it when I reached out to you.” Danny then smirked up at you, unable to keep his snarky side tame for long. “Told ya not to read that occult shit, it fucks with your mind. Even if you live with a demon - fuck, _especially_ if you live with one. It’s like standing next to a metal rod in a thunderstorm, something’s gonna conduct towards you.”

You listened to his explanation in utter silence, not sure whether to be touched that he’d come at your obvious peril in your dreaming state, or upset for him breaking your only rule. You’d stick with the former; it was too tiring to think about punishing him again. So instead, you gently fell forward onto him with a soft sigh, wrapping your arms around his waist in a thankful embrace. Dan tensed at the initial contact, but only for a moment, and you soon felt his hands rubbing your back soothingly as he nestled further into the bed. “...I guess this means I’m no longer banished to the couch?” he asked softly, unable to hide the teasing tone in his voice.

“...Yes. But only because I want you here if I have another nightmare,” you admitted with a pout, burying your face in his chest so he couldn’t see your flushed cheeks. You didn’t even want to think about the next day’s taunting that was surely in store, your need for the demon to be there making you feel a bit vulnerable in spite of his protection. Dan merely chuckled softly in reply, one arm wrapped around you protectively while the other tugged the blankets up to cover you both.

“Deal,” he said quietly, allowing you to nuzzle as close as you desired before the two of you fell back into a tranquil, dreamless slumber. “Goodnight, [y/n].”

A sigh of peace left you before you mumbled softly, “Goodnight, Danny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...did you guys know it's really fugging hard to type on a laptop with fresh arm tattoos? 8D Because I sure as peas didn't!~
> 
> Sorry for the delay, hope the smol bit of fluff at the end of this made up for it. \owo/ More to come soon!~


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of the week droned on with more familiar normality, regular shifts at the cafe bleeding into one another as the mundane repetition of humanity started to weigh on you, as well as Dan. Although of the two of you, he was definitely less prepared for the bore of it all. As the days wore on, you could see his patience for it wearing thin. You assured him that your hard work would all be worth it once the weekend came, your extended time off one of the main reasons why you still chose to work at the cafe. Typical Saturdays involved the whole gang getting together at Suzy and Arin’s for games and fun, a getaway of sorts that you were looking forward to after everything that had transpired during the previous week (despite a tiny voice in your mind reminding you that last weekend’s activity had resulted in you rooming with a demon).

Waking up slowly on a lazy Friday afternoon, you stretched before letting out a loud yawn. There generally wasn’t much you had planned before the night in with your friends, which was blissful for its own reasons, the idea of human interaction an unappealing one after dealing with customers all week long. After you’d washed up and dressed, opting for sweatpants and a tank top to lounge around the apartment in, you stepped into the living room, finding Danny already awake and waiting for you on the couch. He was sprawled across it rather dramatically, lanky legs kicked up over the left armrest while the right cushion supported his head. Arms crossed over his chest in a bored fashion, he perked up a bit upon hearing you enter. 

“About time you rolled your butt outta bed,” he teased, throwing you a wink as you felt your cheeks glow red. He still hadn’t let you forget the evening the two of you had spent together, and he had been the first to snarkily point out that if he had truly wanted to be a dick, he could’ve taken your plea to stay in bed for the night as a contract for your soul. But if that were the case, then why was he still here? Maybe he wanted to be away from home a bit longer? It couldn’t have been something to do with you…

Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you responded to his boasting by giving him the finger. “I have the day off. Get off my back, dude,” you muttered, though there was no true disdain in your voice. It had become custom for you and Dan to exchange ‘pleasantries’ this way; his sassy attitude tended to clash with your bitter sarcasm quite a lot, so you’d both agreed right away that a typical backtalk match would be paired with genuine smiles and laughter to defuse any confusion or anger.

Danny filled the air with one of his own, a sweet, low chuckle that never failed to tug at your heartstrings. “Fine by me, but I think it might be in your best interest to know that we’re out of cookies and milk.” Your eyes widened a bit at his comment, not believing him for a moment considering you’d just gone to the store a few days ago. Then again, that was before you were feeding two people in your apartment, all on a college dropout salary no less.

A quick glance in the fridge confirmed Dan’s word, and you let out a small groan of disapproval at the sight of the depleted contents. “I really didn’t want to go out grocery shopping again so soon,” you muttered, running a hand over your face as you picked up the near empty jug of milk, the thin strip of white inside seemingly a moot point to be preserved. “We seriously need to talk about how much you eat, Danny...do you even _need_ food? Or is it another human luxury that you don’t get in Hell, and you’ll pull the puppy dog eyes for me until you get it?”

“Human luxury,” the demon responded simply, following it up with his trademark look that you’d mentioned. It was the kind that warmed even the most icy of souls into giving the demon whatever he wanted. Unfortunately, even you couldn’t kick the spell it had over kinder, more caring folk.

With a forceful sigh, you tossed the jug into the sink, making a mental note to rinse it out for recycling. You placed a hand on your hip, the other reaching for your phone to start on a digital shopping list. “All right, then. We’ll need milk, bread, some stovetop dinners…”

Flipping over on the sofa, Danny raised his hand, waving it about wildly in the air like a grade schooler eager to answer a question. “Don’t forget the cookies!” he exclaimed, his smirk wide as he continued the thought. “...You know, I should probably just go with. Make sure you get all of the essentials.”

“No, there’s no goddamn way I’m letting you humiliate me outside of work. The cafe is one thing, but -” Your sentence stopped short as Dan gave you another innocent, wide eyed gaze. You stumbled over more excuses for a moment before letting out a huff of defeat. Dammit, he was good. “...Fine. Just no tricks, okay? At least nothing that I can’t easily explain away.”

The horned creature scoffed before standing, hands raised defensively before they went to work straightening his clothes. “Jeez...I haven’t even done anything yet and you’re scolding me. Am I that bad of a person to be around?” he chided, raising a hand to place theatrically against his forehead.

“Yes.” Your one word answer caught him off guard, and he broke his serious visage to let out a loud burst of laughter. Unable to hold your stoic expression, you were soon giggling along with him, stepping up to give him a pat on the back. “Okay, if I’m being totally honest, you’re not the worst demon to be sharing an apartment with,” you admitted with a smile.

You couldn’t be sure, but it seemed that Dan’s cheeks turned a slight shade of pink before he turned away from you, the grin on his face never fading. “Y-yeah, whatever, mortal,” he joked nervously, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets. What had gotten him so flustered? Shrugging it off, you held up your phone once more, tapping out the rest of the list before pocketing your device.

“Lemme just change into something presentable and grab my wallet, then we can go.” You slipped quickly into your bedroom without another word from the demon, running a brush through your hair before pulling a [favorite band] shirt over your tank top. Pairing it with a pair of dark jeans and slip on shoes, you then grabbed your bag, making sure you had everything in it before snagging the apartment key. “We traveling the normie way or the fun way?” you asked Dan with a smirk upon reemerging. Your presence seemed to shake the demon back to his senses, and he finally snapped out of his odd daze to shoot you a grin right back.

“You just give the word, master. I'll do whatever you wish,” he replied smoothly, winking in a way that could only be described as seductive. Woah, where had _that_ come from? You weren’t about to deny, the title made you feel a way you’d never felt before, his words kindling a powerful flame that burned brightly in your gut.

Mouth opening and closing like a fish, you finally squeaked out a soft, “U-uhm...I wouldn’t mind teleporting again.” It was as if Dan was waiting for that answer, because in an instant, his arms were wrapped around your waist, and you clung to his chest as the world around you dissolved into white.

~~~

You squinted as your eyes adjusted to the light of the mid-afternoon sun, finding that your demonic companion had opted to deliver you behind the local shopping plaza downtown. With a thankful smile, you pulled away from his gentle grasp, ready to get into the grocery store before he got too distracted with the nearby markets. “Okay, we’ll be in and out in about thirty minutes if we stick to the list -”

“Ooo, what’s over there?” Crap, too late. Dan had locked eyes with a nearby pet store, and before you could stop him, he made a beeline for it, leaving you to jog behind him in an effort to keep him in your sights. “Are those animals? So you guys don’t just let them run free? Seems kind of fucked up, we don’t usually keep beasts in chains unless they pose a serious threat. You’re telling me that _this_ thing…” He paused to point at a notably shaky chihuahua. “...is considered dangerous in your world?”

“Okay, first of all, my great aunt owned a dog like that, and it was a fucking menace,” you began, staring warily at the dog before turning to address the demon smirking down at you. The explanation as to what a pet store was died in your throat, however, when you spotted a few people leering at you from a nearby bench, and realization hit you like a ton of bricks. To them, it appeared that you were simply talking to the open air, rambling on about pets of family’s past like a lunatic. It seemed that Dan was playing dirty already, and by the look of his shit-eating grin, he was having a great time at your expense.

Pausing to think of a way to speak to him without seeming insane to others, an idea struck as you searched the contents of your bag. Upon finding your phone, you mimed the action of punching in a number before holding it up to your ear, but not before giving the now pouting demon next to you a coy giggle. “Thank God for technological advances, am I right? I’m sure it chaps your ass to no end that this works,” you said into the reciever, eyes still glancing over at Danny every now and then to let him know you were speaking to him.

“Why do I always get the smart asses?” he groaned, running a hand through his hair before turning back to the shop window. “Okay...they’re not kept in cages to keep them from hurting others. So why the fuck are those creatures trapped in there? Do you eat them? Oh, God...ironically, I _pray_ that I'm wrong.”

Laughing loudly, you shook your head as you continued to talk into your phone. “No! We keep them as pets. Animal pals that live with you and you care for,” you answered simply, gazing at a litter of kittens with a sweet smile. “I’ve always wanted a cat, but the apartment won’t let me get one. They say it’ll ruin the curtains, as if I wouldn’t give it a scratching post...It’s not like I’ve never owned one before.”

Dan stared at you for a moment before turning back to the playing kittens, their adorable romping a bit mesmerizing for even a beast from Hell, it would seem. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I’d bet you’d totally make a responsible owner. I mean, shit...you managed to tame my ass in what, a week tops?” He wiggled his eyebrows at you with a chuckle, which only increased when he spotted the blush dusting your cheeks. “Damn, you’re getting easier to fluster. I could get used to that.”

Glaring up at him, you brushed your way past him towards the grocery store, talking into the phone as you waltzed by with your nose in the air. “If you don’t behave, I’m not picking up any cookies for you,” you warned, trying to hide the smirk as you heard the demon whine pitifully behind you.

“Aww, come on. That’s not fair…” he muttered, sulking along behind you as you picked up a shopping basket. Despite the rocky start to your outing, the rest of it thankfully went off without a hitch, the only downside being that Danny had a habit of handing you stuff that you couldn’t reach on the higher shelves. While it was incredibly sweet, you were terrified that someone would eventually see a box of cereal float into your basket, without any logical explanation as to why or how.

After checking off everything on your list - and a few things that Danny had decided on picking up while he was sure you weren’t watching - you made your way to the checkout counter, standing patiently as your demonic companion tapped his foot behind you. You tensed for a moment as you felt him suddenly lean against your back, his arms wrapping around your shoulders in an almost protective manner. It took everything in your power to ignore the fact that he was behaving like a bored boyfriend, waiting diligently with his lover in line. “Uhm, do you mind?” you murmured behind your shoulder, knowing he could hear you while he was so close.

“Sorry, I...I sensed something in the air just now. Something’s different, and I don’t know what. It’s kind of habit for me to protect my soul bonds from other monsters.” Well, that statement didn’t make you feel much better. Whipping your head around the store, your eyes came to a stop on a familiar face hunched by the sliding entrance doors...along with one that was quite foreign, but similar to someone you knew in all the wrong ways.

“U-Uh...correct me if I’m wrong, but is that a friend of yours hanging with...Mrs. Connor!?” Your incredulous tone was as hushed as possible, a difficult task considering how flabbergasted you were. There was your sweet, elderly neighbor, digging in her purse for her reading glasses while a demonic beast stood diligently with her. While the hellish features didn’t differ much from Dan’s, its general appearance was quite different. Surrounding his horns was a head of short, gray hair, which matched the stubble on his defined chin. If aging was a thing they endured, you would guess this demon was a bit older than Danny, though it couldn’t have been by more than a few years. He was clad all in black, the more comfortable cotton/polyester threads contrasting heavily with Dan’s all denim and leather getup. If it weren’t for the claws and fangs, you would’ve guessed he was Mrs. Connor’s relative, rather than another unholy creature walking amongst the living.

Your brain was jarred back into motion when you heard a scoff from behind you. “Oh, please, [y/n]. You can’t just say that all demons know each other, that’s -” His lecture was cut short when he finally looked up, sarcastic pout pulling up into a genuine grin at the sight of the other soul-stealer. “Hooooly shit!! Brian?! Where the fuck have you _been_ , dude? Feels like it’s been forever since you were summoned last!” In a flash, Danny abandoned your side (so much for ‘protecting soul bonds’) and you had no choice but to wait in line as if nothing had just happened. It seemed Mrs. Connor was privy to that rule as well, shuffling off to start on her own shopping list as her demon glanced up at his approaching friend.

“Dan? Is that you? Jeez, didn’t think I’d see your scrawny butt for another few years,” the one named Brian chuckled, reaching out to give the other beast a welcoming hug. “So you got tethered too, huh? Yeah, turns out there’s this pattern book floating around with some instructions on how to knit my summoning circle? Dunno how it happened, but Emma was the unlucky winner who managed to finish it, then prick her finger on one of her needles. Next thing I know, boom. I’m in the middle of her apartment wondering what the fuck an eighty-three year old woman wants with my ass.”

You heard Danny chuckle as you picked up your bags of groceries, paying the cashier before stepping over to where the two demons were standing. The moment you walked up, Dan smiled wide, pulling you closer to show you off to his friend. “This one’s mine right here. Bri, meet [y/n]. [y/n], Brian. You know how we always wondered if any of us would ever get one of those horror movie cliches where someone’s forced into a circle and gets cursed because their friends are jerks?” He then pointed directly at you, and you felt your cheeks heat up once again from the embarrassment of it all. So not only were you stuck like this for an indeterminate time, you were also apparently a tween stereotype to the fiendish creatures. You weren’t sure how, but that fact made the situation all the more insulting.

Glancing back over at where Mrs. Connor had begun to inspect the produce, you looked up at the gray haired demon with a fearful grimace. “Y-you’re going to have to take her soul eventually, aren’t you?” It was spoken in a hushed whisper, despite no one being in your vicinity. Still, the thought of anybody seeing you talking to yourself spiked your social anxiety to no end.

Brian gave you a kind smile, one that made your fear of the new arrival melt away in an instant. Another foreboding teddy bear of a demon...this guy was more like Dan than you first thought. “Well, the tricky thing about our contracts is that if the person dies before we draw one up, their soul goes back to wherever it was originally gonna go. I’ve got a few more centuries to live...what’s it worth gaining some innocent lady’s soul when I could just help her out and keep her company for a couple of decades? I’ve honestly been having a blast, if you could believe that. Then again, any time away from Hell is paradise to us.” Chuckling softly, the shorter man glanced over at where his soul bond was now bagging a couple of ripe bananas. “She’s an absolute joy. Thinks I’m her son from what I gather. He’s a real piece of work, hadn’t seen her in years because of his snazzy CEO position. I paid him a little ‘visit’ to let him know his role of kin was...terminated.” Okay, so this one was a little scarier than Dan. Got it.

Finally, it seemed that Mrs. Connor noticed that her companion hadn’t followed her deeper into the supermarket, and she turned to spot you and Dan standing around at the front counter with him. It didn’t bother her in the slightest, in fact, she smiled wide as she hobbled back towards the group to talk to you. “[y/n]! Funny seeing you here, dearie. Oh, I see you brought your handsome friend out with you today,” she commented with a giggle, and you realized at that moment that her bond with Brian was how she’d spotted your demon the day before.

“...Yeah, can’t seem to keep him from tailing me everywhere, to tell ya the truth,” you replied with a chuckle, coy smirk only widening as you glanced over at his pouting expression. It was refreshing to see him ruffled for once, rather than the other way around.

It only got better when the shorter beast gave Dan a knowing grin of his own. “Is that so? Can’t say I’m surprised, Danny’s always taken to the attractive summoners with a little more chivalry,” Brian chimed in, pulling a whine from the taller male as he stiffly crossed his arms over his chest.

“Sh-shut up, Brian...I so do not,” he muttered. It was almost as if he’d been caught doing something he wished he hadn’t. You gave him a questioning look, but it was stopped short by Mrs. Connor quietly clearing her throat.

“Well, if you two love bugs aren’t too busy tonight, I was thinking that you could come over for tea and cookies? Seems like you’re the only folks around here that will carry a discussion with poor Frankie.” She paused to pat Brian’s back, and you assumed she meant her estranged son, rather than the demon that had taken his place. “I don’t understand it...just because he’s going through a bit of a ‘phase’ doesn’t mean people should be afraid of him. He’s still such a sweet boy.”

“Thanks, mom,” Brian responded without hesitation, giving her a comforting side hug before turning to address you personally. “What do you say? Guarantee if you like this one getting humiliated, I can make it rain.” He pointed at his friend with a smirk, raising an eyebrow at you in invitation. It was a tempting offer, your inhuman partner already squirming under Brian’s collected gaze. He really seemed to get under Dan’s skin. 

_Perfect._

Smiling wide at your neighbor, you nodded as Dan watched on in abject horror. “That sounds like fun! We can come by later tonight? Say around six-ish?”

Mrs. Connor clapped her hands together in glee, nodding eagerly as she took Brian by the hand. “Six it is! Oh, I just know we’ll have a grand time! Now come along, Frankie. I need your help picking out deli meats. He always knows which have been out the longest, not sure how he nails it every time.”

“I told you, I just sniff out the ones that have the freshest aroma. The ones with decay smell different,” Brian replied with the simplicity of someone discussing the weather. The giggle that followed told you that the older woman believed the demon was kidding, but knowing how Dan’s abilities worked, you wouldn’t be surprised if Brian’s words were based in truth.

“Oh, you jokester. All right, then! We’ll see you at six!” Mrs. Connor called over her shoulder, turning back in the direction of the deli as Brian followed diligently next to her. Once they were out of earshot, you stepped out of the store, Dan bringing up the rear as he continued to lament your decision.

Juggling your bags for a moment, you managed to pull out your phone again, placing it to your ear as you spoke aloud. “So that was an interesting encounter. Something tells me you’re not looking forward to being around your pal Brian for too long,” you chided into the phone, eyes wandering up to meet your demon’s bitter frown.

With a scoff, he made his way back to the alley that you had first materialized in earlier that day, hands shoved in his pockets while yours tried to hold onto everything. His expression softened a bit as he realized you were struggling, and without needing to be asked, he gently took a few bags from you once he was certain that no passers by would notice. “You have no fuckin’ clue what you’ve sentenced me to, [y/n],” he mumbled, running his large palm over his face before placing it on his hip. “Brian is...simultaneously the best and worst friend I’ve ever had. He’s a great guy, don’t get me wrong. Always had my back in Hell and would fucking take a bullet for the people he cares for. But on the other hand, he can be...just a relentless dick when it comes to humiliating me. I’ve lost the respect of more souls than I can count because of his joke-happy ass.”

Pausing in thought, you then smiled genuinely up at the agitated beast, reaching out with your free hand to lightly touch his shoulder. “Are you worried that he’s gonna make me think less of you, or something? Because trust me when I say...that’s not possible.” The laughter that followed ripped away any serious visage that your words held, and soon enough, Dan was smiling along with you. After a moment, you then wrapped your arm around him, pulling him in for a hug - or as close as you could make it with your hands full of groceries. “Don’t worry, I’ll still wanna live with you after Brian’s done tearing you a new one. I’m not gonna abandon you just because of some embarrassing stories from your past, or whatever. You’ll still be the same guy...uh, demon I know.”

Dan’s cheeks seemed to blaze red as you spoke, his face pulling up into a stunned stare at your kind words. It was as if his brain couldn’t compute what you were telling him, and it took you locking your fingers with his to snap him back out of it. “Now, what do you say we head home? I’ll even bake you some preemptive ‘sorry I forced you into an awkward situation’ cookies, if you want.”

Finally, Danny’s silence was broken by a low chuckle, and he pulled you close as it seemed like second nature to relax in his embrace. “That sounds like kind of a long name, how about we just call them ‘oops, I fucked up’ cookies instead?” he snarked back, and you couldn’t stop the grin that tugged at your lips at the sight of him happy again.

“Deal,” you replied with a laugh, your joke sparking another giggle out of him before he teleported you both home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, the other Grumps are gonna make more appearances, but for now...enjoy a surprise visit from demon!Brian!! :D


	5. Chapter 5

“Mmm...Pillsbury, you incredible son of a bitch. You’ve done it again.” Dan laughed heartily as he leaned back in his chair, the kitchen table in front of him covered with cooling racks stacked high with baked goods, a half-eaten cookie clutched between his clawed fingers. Upon returning home, you’d kept true to your word, putting away the groceries before firing up the oven. A few break and bake packages of confections were quick to make your previously sulking demon forget all about the uncomfortable plans that evening. But reality had to come crashing back eventually, and after sitting next to him with a glass of milk clutched in each hand, you glanced over in his direction.

“So...anything shocking I should expect from Brian tonight? He’s not gonna tell me about your sex-capades right in front of Mrs. Connor, is he?” you asked, pushing one of the cups over while sipping from your own. The smirk on Dan’s face faltered immediately once he processed your question, and he gave a grimace before covering it with a swig of milk.

Once he swallowed his mouthful, he gave you a tired grin. “Well, I think that any sexy conversation will be off the table, so long as his “mom” is present,” he replied snarkily, silently thanking whichever powers that be for his friend’s adopted part in the elderly woman’s life. Knowing Brian, however, Dan was certain that the older demon would try to wedge it in to the discussion somewhere. “More than likely, he’ll stick to the classic summoning mistakes I’ve made in my lifetime. Contracts that got away, humans that have tricked me...shit like that. And when you’ve lived as long as I have, there’s a _lot_ of material to work with.”

You nodded silently, already smirking to yourself as you anticipated your demonic companion being humiliated at the crux of his friend’s stories. Glancing over at him, you hoped that he knew it was all in good fun, not wishing to hurt him too badly with this escapade. So without a second thought, you reached out and placed your palm on top of his, a gesture that made his eyes widen a bit as he stared at you. A blush crept over your cheeks as you smiled sweetly at Danny. “Well...remember that I won’t kick your kinky butt to the curb just because of what Brian tells me,” you told him again. 

The reassurance seemed to calm him, shoulders relaxing as he smirked back at you. “Damn right, you won’t. I’ll still be tethered to you, and if you think I’m a pain in the ass now, just try and tell me I’m not allowed in the apartment,” he joked, and the two of you shared a laugh before he picked up another cookie. Staring down at it for a moment, his smile softened as he continued. “I-I dunno if I ever genuinely thanked you for being so cool with all of this. Pretty sure I made a sassy comment or two, but honestly? You’ve been way more level-headed than most humans that I've seen put in your situation. And despite you trying to fuck with me with that book - which I kinda deserved, anyway - you’ve been really welcoming. So...y-y’know, thanks for letting me crash here and shit. Totally rad of you.”

You felt a throb in your chest as your heart skipped a beat, eyes and ears taking in the spectacle of your sarcastic ass of a soul bond actually being sincere towards you. Hesitating for a moment, you then gave his hand a comforting squeeze, as if silently accepting his gratitude. There was a long stretch of silence while you and Danny shyly munched on a few more chocolate treats, enjoying each other’s company before the chime of your phone suddenly disrupted the peaceful moment. 

After unlocking it, you saw a message from Brian (When had he gotten your number?), asking if you and Dan were on the way. “Looks like Brian wants to get this party started. You ready to go?” you asked, the question receiving a whine of protest from the horned creature before he continued to stuff his face with cookies.

“Can’ we wai’? I’m shtill hungwy,” Danny mumbled through his mouthful, the words slurring together as he slowly chewed the massive bite. Rolling your eyes in response, you texted Brian back while you stood from your chair, waiting patiently for the demon to finish his food. Upon seeing him reach for another treat, however, your hand extended out to hold onto his wrist firmly, but gently.

“Danny, come on. Mrs. Connor mentioned having cookies there. I don’t wanna be late, that would be rude.” When your scolding was met with another whimper, you smirked down at the pouting beast, an outstretched finger tapping his nose playfully. “Methinks you’re stalling, buddy,” you teasingly added.

With a huff, Dan finally arose from his seat, folding his arms over his chest in a familiar defensive stance. “Am not,” he retorted childishly, making you wonder once again just how old he was in demon years. You mentally dogeared it as a question to ask Brian later.

Reaching up, you took hold of his hand again, lacing your fingers together with his in a gesture that seemed to calm him considerably. “Hey, if it helps, Mrs. Connor bakes everything from scratch. You may think my cookies are good, but just wait until you taste one of hers,” you said with a wink, guiding him towards the door before he could give another weak excuse of a protest.

Luckily for you, there was none, but as you grabbed your keys from the nearby stand, you heard Dan mutter, “...Doesn’t matter. Nothing will compare to yours.” It was a simple statement, probably not even meant for you to hear. And yet your heart melted at the kind words, smiling sweetly up at your demonic partner before leaving the apartment hand in hand.

~~~

“Did you two find the place okay?” Mrs. Connor smiled at you and Danny, waiting patiently in her easy chair as you entered the apartment. Brian followed close behind after shutting the front door, having opened it to avoid his senior resident from needing to get up. The small living room was about what you had expected; antique furniture cramped nearly all of the available space, laid out in a way for easy access to the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, but not much else. Lace curtains and hand-stitched doilies covered every open surface, the walls dotted with various knick knacks aged no less than thirty years ago. A picture frame on the mantle caught your eye, your gaze drawn to it as you inspected the two people in the photo. Mrs. Connor was standing proudly with who you assumed was her estranged son, apparently at some sort of celebration in his honor. With the businessman’s permanent frown and stern demeanor, you could see how the nearsighted lady had gotten him confused with Brian.

“I’ll go get the tea, why don’t you guys sit in the loveseat?” the older demon suggested casually, gently patting Mrs. Connor’s shoulder as he passed. She gave him an adoring grin, turning back towards the two of you as he made his way into the kitchen.

“Isn’t he just a dear?” she said with a sigh, practically glowing with motherly fulfillment. “You know, I thought for a long time that my dear Frankie had lost that morality I’d seen in him as a boy...it’s so comforting to know that he’s left behind that silly business life just to give his dear mother some company.” You couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow, knowing the truth about her ‘precious’ child. In a way, it was actually a bit soothing knowing that Brian was willing to stick around for her, if only to fulfill a role in her life that hadn't been expected of him in the first place.

At that moment, said demon returned, carrying a silver tray covered with porcelain cups of steaming tea and a smaller dish piled with confections. You promptly stood to assist him, setting it down on the coffee table as he gave you a thankful smile. “So...I’m sure you’d like to get right into the stories I have about Dan, right [y/n]?” he asked solemnly, sitting in the spare recliner before reaching for one of the mugs.

Shrugging in response, you tried to be nonchalant and ignore the way Danny seemed to immediately sulk back in his seat. Knowing it would make him feel just a bit better, you picked up a cookie to hand to him. He glanced up at you before snatching the confection from your palm, stuffing the whole thing in his mouth to avoid having to say anything. You giggled softly at his childish mannerisms before replying, “We don’t have to make it the whole conversation, but I will admit, I’m a bit curious.”

Brian’s smirk only widened at your interaction with Dan, seemingly noticing something you didn’t as he thought of a good story to really embarrass his friend with. “...He ever tell you about the time he was Bugs Bunny’d out of a contract?”

“Come on, man!” Dan managed to shout out after painfully choking down his bite, his voice lost to a coughing fit soon after. As he grabbed onto your shoulder for support, you sighed before offering him a sip of your tea.

“Jeez, Dan...you’re supposed chew your food _before_ swallowing,” you teased, not missing from the corner of your vision that Brian gave you another knowing grin. What was that all about, anyway?

After everything calmed down a bit, with Dan now nursing your mug of tea while you nibbled on a cookie, Brian continued his story. “So it’s Dan’s first summons day in this new location. He finds out that the division he’s in mainly deals with small cases in low populated, more rural areas. So of course this beautiful idiot thinks, ‘OH, this shit’s gonna be _way_ easy. Suckering country bumpkins for their souls all day? No problem!’ Well, this clever human he got sure as Hell made it a problem.”

Danny groaned into the mouth of your cup, hiding his face behind it as his cheeks began to burn a dull red. “She was cute, what can I say? I take back everything I said about farmers being dumb…”

“In his defense, this girl was the whole package; long blonde hair braided up in pigtails, paired with this overall/cutoffs number and not much else underneath…” You felt a twinge of irritation in the pit of your stomach as he described Danny’s previous soul bond, but you weren’t quite sure why. So she had been pretty...and she had gotten alone time with Dan...who had thought she was attractive...

Shaking your head, you realized that Brian was waiting on you to snap back to the present before continuing. “...Glad you could join us again, [y/n]. Anyway, Dan’s still got a job to do, so he’s keeping his cool, explaining why he’s there and that she summoned him to grant her one wish, etcetera. This woman looks at him so confused and goes, ‘Oh, is that what this was? I was just trying to wipe up some chicken blood from the floor, I didn’t wanna make a deal with no Devil.’”

You let out a giggle at Brian’s attempt at a southern accent, and he raised a brow at you as if to say ‘watch it.’ Stifling yourself, you waved your hand for him to continue. “So naturally, Dan’s like, ‘Oh, well...I’m sorry, buuut accidental or not, you have summoned me. So like, unless you die or find a way to reverse this, we’re kind of...stuck.’ And she tilts her head and asks him just like this; ‘Well, you don’t _have_ to take my soul right now, do you?’”

“Oh, he didn’t…” you breathed out, a grin plastered on your face as Danny let out another mortified moan. Your calculated mind had already figured out the loophole, so simple it was amazing that he hadn’t seen it in the moment. You’d actually considered trying it at some point but assumed he was too smart for it. Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Nodding slowly, Brian chuckled as he finished, “Yep, told her out loud, ‘W-well, I won’t _have_ to take it, really.’ And this woman’s face just lit up, and she starts laughing. Poor Dan was so confused until he caught up to what the fuck he’d just done. Luckily, all she wanted was a chance to torture her cheating ex-boyfriend for a bit with no strings attached.” You shared another laugh with Brian as your demonic friend whined next to you, looking away from the group as he was unable to meet anyone’s gaze, especially yours.

“And this was for one of your fancy board games I’m assuming, Frankie?” Mrs. Connor said suddenly, causing your laughter to fade into silence, a sense of dread raising slowly in your chest once you realized that the horned beast had been describing soul gathering in plain detail right in front of her. But she’d said something about it being a...game?

Brian was quick to soothe your worry as he responded, “Yeah, mom. It’s that one with the dragons where you pick your class of character, remember? We made you a druid one time.” It was amazing how well the modern world could hide a living monster’s existence from the elderly. You also gave bonus points to Mrs. Connor for being so invested in her ‘son’s’ life that she was willing to play through a quest of Dungeons and Dragons with him.

Mrs. Connor smiled and nodded, patting Brian warmly on the arm. “Oh, of course! How could I forget? We had such a fun time going on that adventure for the kingdom’s princess,” she recalled, sitting back in her chair as she moved her gaze to you. “How are the cookies, [y/n]? I see your friend Danny is enjoying them quite a bit. I think there’s more crumbs on his shirt than in his stomach!”

Danny couldn’t help but smirk a bit at her comment, brushing off his shirt as he replied, “Well, I’m not gonna lie, they are delicious. Some of the _best_ I’ve ever had, actually.” He turned to finally look toward you, smiling smugly as if he believed for one moment that this was going to sway you. But you already knew how he felt about the comparison between yours and her confections, and you returned the grin with one of your own.

“I dunno what you’re looking at me for, dude. You already told me outright that mine are the best,” you chided, giggling as his face flushed a burning red, almost as if he hadn’t expected you to admit that aloud. You couldn’t help but notice the subtle glare he shot over at Brian, who was watching the entire exchange on the edge of his seat, almost excited by whatever he was witnessing.

Clearing her throat softly, Mrs. Connor then stood from her easy chair, picking up her mug and saucer. “I think I’ve had enough tea for today. One more cup and I’ll be out like a light in about an hour,” she said with a chuckle, waving for Brian to sit once she began to move. “Oh, stop fussing, Frankie. I appreciate it, naturally, but this old woman can still get around her own house.” As she passed you on the loveseat, however, she gave you a wink before adding, “But I wouldn’t mind a hand from dear [y/n] here. I would like to speak with you as it is.”

“Uh...okay?” you replied, unsure what could be so important that she needed your help alone. Shrugging, you decided to play along, standing from your seat as Brian made a crazy beeline to plant himself next to his friend, a title you still weren’t sure was accurate as Danny was quick to voice his displeasure.

“Nooo, wait! [y/n], don’t leave me here with Brian. He’s gonna make fun of me,” the younger demon whined, reaching out to gently take hold of your hand before you moved beyond his reach.

Hanging back a bit, you then gave him an exasperated stare before looking at Brian. “How old is he?” you asked sarcastically, but you knew for the sake of the joke, the beast would answer in truth.

“Three hundred and fifty,” he replied in a deadpan tone, like a robotic AI reading a number.

Turning back to Dan, you placed a hand on your hip before lightly pulling the other away from his grasp. “Dan, you’re three hundred and fifty, stop acting like you’re eighty.” The statement seemed to catch the shorter demon off guard, because at that moment, Brian let out a quick burst of laughter, patting his companion on the back as Danny hid his face in his hands.

“I like this one already, Dan.”

~~~

As you stepped into the kitchen with Mrs. Connor, you still weren’t quite sure why she had asked for your assistance over Brian’s, but you were ready to help nonetheless. “So, what did you need me to do, Mrs. C?” you asked with a kind smile.

“Oh, nothing in particular, dear. I’m sorry for luring you off like that, but before you arrived, Frankie insisted that he wanted a little alone time with his old friend,” the elderly woman answered simply, sitting at the tacky kitchen table before gesturing towards another seat. “While the boys have their fun, what do you say to a little chat ourselves?”

While a part of you was crying out to eavesdrop on the demons’ conversation, you didn’t wish to be rude, sitting in the off-yellow chair as you clutched onto your cooling mug of tea. Sipping idly, you then asked, “What would you like to talk about?” Mrs. Connor gave you a knowing grin, one that you’d seen from Brian once or twice that day. Maybe there was more than one reason why she believed he was her son.

“Well, we could discuss exactly how you feel about your...roommate, was it? Something tells me you want it to be a bit more than that with dear Daniel,” she chided playfully, to which your face flushed with embarrassment. Boy, was she far off the mark...or so you desperately wanted to believe.

What you didn’t know was that, while your older neighbor grilled you on your emotions towards Dan, the very demon was having a similar discussion with his underworldly pal. “Dude, shut the fuck up,” he barked. Realizing how much his voice carried in the small home, he then hushed it to a low murmur before adding, “I do not have the hots for [y/n].”

“I say this without a shred of irony: god fucking damn, you are in denial,” Brian retorted with a smug smirk, chuckling as the younger beast merely pouted silently. “Come on...I know you, Dan. I’ve seen how your summons with these kinds of humans go. You’re giving off all the signs of being totally smitten.”

At that, Danny scoffed and rolled his eyes before turning them back to Brian. “Who the fuck are you, Doctor Phil? For your information, I’ve only fallen for _one_ human, and that turned out to be a big fat fucking mistake, remember?” The memory of his long lost love came flooding back in an instant, images of her stringing him along, just for access to his unbridled abilities. It was enough to make his heart ache painfully in his chest. He’d been quick to finish her contract and tie up loose ends once the truth had been revealed, but the emotional scars still remained as a hurtful reminder not to open up to any mortals. That’s what he had promised himself, anyway.

“Yes, and I also remember you saying how you’d ‘never love a human again’ after you sent that bitch to Hell,” Brian retorted, his stern tone tugging Dan back to the real world. “But times change, and not every human is as fucked up as her, man. [y/n] clearly has feelings for you, too. I’ve never seen such a pure soul babysit your hyper ass so well before.”

“Your approval is noted, but it doesn’t change my mind,” Danny snapped back, leaning forward with his hands laced together between his legs. He turned them over a couple of times, staring as if mesmerized by the way they moved. “I’m not gonna open myself up again just to be pushed around. Fool me once, shame on you…”

Brian gave his friend an irritated stare, trying to make fruitless eye contact for a moment before sighing forcefully. “Maybe give [y/n] a chance to fool you once before you go accusing someone of doing so twice,” he defended.

Shaking his head, Dan finally met the other demon’s gaze, his own cold as steel. “Humans are all the same, Bri. Give them an inch, they’ll take a mile. Besides, even if I did admit my feelings, no way [y/n] would even return them.”

“But you admit you _do_ have feelings?”

“W-w-well, I-I mean...Fuck.” Dan began to backtrack, but realized it was a moot point and stopped entirely with a frustrated huff. “All right, fine. I really like [y/n], is that what you want from me? Have fun with that fucking tidbit of information, because I refuse to let this soul bond go anywhere but straight to Hell. And that’s no metaphor.”

Before Brian could argue, you walked back into the room with Mrs. Connor in tow, unsure whether or not you should ask why Dan looked like he was ready to rip someone’s head off. “So...did you boys have a nice chat?” the gray-haired woman piped up. She smiled knowingly at you before adding, “[y/n] and I had quite an amusing discussion ourselves.”

You giggled shyly, unable to really meet Danny’s gaze. Your neighbor had been swift to pull the truth from you, almost embarrassingly so…

“Great. Well...this has been a blast, but I think we should go now.” It shocked you how briskly your demon stood, taking you by the hand as he whisked you away towards the door, as if he didn’t wish to give you or Brian a chance to converse on anything that had been said.

“Oh, so soon? Well, it was certainly nice to see you. Come back soon!” Mrs. Connor called out, waving as Brian stood to watch you leave. He was still shooting you both that strange, sly expression from earlier, but before you could ask aloud what he’d discussed with Dan, the horned creature dragged you out of the apartment, leaving you to wonder if it had been such a good idea to let Brian get under his skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally done!~ I wasn't expecting to get it all wrapped up so soon, but writing is weird like that sometimes. I hope it's good and you all enjoy, thanks so much for all of your patience with me~ I know I say that all the time, but I totally mean it, all of my readers are the best! <3


	6. Chapter 6

Once you and Dan returned home, you were quick to ask him a few questions about what he and Brian had discussed. Well, you had meant to ask, anyway. What came out was more along the lines of, “So you wanna tell me what the fuck that was all about?” You couldn’t help yourself, it was just too out of the norm for him to behave this way. While you’d only been living with the demon for about a week, you were quick to pick up on when something was wrong.

“...Nothing,” Dan replied curtly, releasing your hand the moment he crossed the threshold, as if believing that getting you through the apartment door was enough to keep you from delving any deeper into the subject at hand, or from going right back to Brian and asking for his side of the story. But you weren’t playing along, not this time. Danny had never been this flustered around you before, so what had upset him so much?

“Sure didn’t seem like nothing. You nearly pulled my arm from my socket yanking me outta there,” you retorted, crossing your arms as you held your defensive stance. The horned beast hardly budged, whipping his head to the side in an attempt to avoid your burning stare, almost as if he were ashamed of his actions. Softening a bit, you decided to try a different approach. “Come on, Dan, you can tell me. Brian seemed like a nice enough guy, despite the taunting. Was he really that much of a dick to you that you won’t open up to me anymore?”

You could see that your words had a heavy impact on him, his shoulders slouching from their rigid pose as he slowly turned back to face you. Was he blushing? “L-Look, it doesn’t matter, okay? We brought up...someone from my past, and I’d rather not get into it right now. Just the thought of her makes me sick to my stomach…” With a forced groan, Danny ran a tired hand over his face before adding, “I’m gonna go take a break in my room. Sorry for being such a fucking tool, [y/n]. I just need some space to think, okay? Clear my head for a bit.” The look he gave you was heartbreaking, his chocolate brown eyes shining with a combination of regret and sorrow. While a tiny piece of you wanted to know more, you weren’t so cruel as to deny that it was tearing Dan up inside to talk about.

Nodding once, it was your turn to look away, eyes meeting the floor in an attempt to save yourself the emotional torment of returning his broken smile. Danny gave another, more gentle sigh, and you watched his boots shuffle closer before the feeling of his arms wrapping around your waist nearly caused your heart to stop beating altogether. “Thank you,” he murmured into your hair, and you blushed before returning the hug. For a moment, the two of you simply stood there, both afraid to break the embrace too early. Finally, you took a careful step back, giving your hellish companion a small smirk.

“Don’t mention it. Just don’t think we’re done talking about this. Bad enough I have to room with a demon, let alone one that’s being a total negative Nancy.” That got a genuine grin from him, and he let out a surprised bark of laughter, the string of giggles ending in an unexpected snort.

“Hey, if it’s any consolation, you’re officially the coolest human I’ve ever lived with. And believe me, that’s saying a lot considering some have let me sleep with them,” he joked, raising a brow in a way that was too humorous to be taken seriously. Despite this, you couldn’t help the blush that dusted your cheeks from his statement, the thought of him tangled in the arms of someone else almost too much to bear. Another pang of - was it jealousy? At this point, there was truly no other explanation - shot through your gut like a bolt of lightning, allowing you to recover quickly and give Dan a somewhat convincing smile. 

“Oh, thank God...I can finally rest easy knowing that I’m cooler than a hot babe who puts out for walking vessels of sin. ‘Oh em gee, of course I'll bang you. I’m sooo into the Spirit Halloween reject costume look!’” The last two sentences were drawled out in a high-pitched valley girl voice, with one of your hands reaching up to dramatically twirl a strand of your hair.

The spot on accent caused Danny to once again double over in laughter. “Okay, I’m going to my room before you make me fucking barf,” he managed to choke out through his chuckles, stumbling towards the bedroom door as you watched him disappear behind it. Your heart felt like it was in a vice, and you wanted nothing more than to follow him and hold him tight until morning. Mrs. Connor was right, you had to tell him...but only when you were both ready, and from your perspective, neither of you were.

~~~

“What? ‘Cancel’? But I thought that Arin had that campaign we were gonna d- ...Oh, my God, you poor woman.” You couldn’t stop the laughter that broke up your sympathetic words, leaning against the kitchen island as you chatted with Suzy over the phone. She had called to inform you that game night with the group needed to be postponed to next week, due to Arin’s sudden “bathroom emergencies” as your friend had so kindly put it. And from the sound of things, the raven haired woman was not too keen about sharing the odors wafting through her home with company. “You are too good to him, Suze...Yeah, love may know no bounds, but my nose sure does.” You shared another giggle with her before wishing her luck, hanging up as you called out to your demonic roommate. “Dan! Never mind on getting ready. Suzy just called, we’re not going.”

There was a whine of disappointment that filtered out from his room in response to your announcement. “Aww...but I finally figured out who I was gonna fuck with in your gang.” Danny entered the living room with one hand outstretched, a large fake spider sitting on his open palm. In spite of it being phony, it looked incredibly lifelike, nearly causing you to turn tail and run out of the apartment. Hell, if you hadn’t been told it was plastic earlier, you probably would have. “This little guy was gonna give your cafe coworker one helluva fright,” he boasted.

Glancing from the toy to your roommate, your eyebrow raised questioningly as you assessed his fool-proof plan. “You’re gonna scare Suzy...with a spider? The girl who has been playing with bugs all her life and taxidermies things twice this size on weekends?”

His confident smirk fell at your explanation as to why Suzy would be the last person to freak out at a giant arachnid. Pouting softly, he then asked, “All right, then...who would you pick for a prank like this, smarty pants?”

“Honestly, I’d probably go with Ross. Even though he’s from Australia, I’ve seen him lose it if a cockroach is too big for his liking.” You watched as the demon took mental note of this, pausing before giving you a toothy grin.

“Gotcha. Don’t use insect pranks on the goth girl. Honestly, you think I would’ve considered that a factor when plotting this…” With a puff of smoke, the false spider disappeared, allowing Dan to waltz over and flop down on the couch. “So game night’s cancelled? That sucks...I’m sorry, I know you were looking forward to it.”

Shrugging in response, you sat next to him, taking advantage of the smaller loveseat as your knee nearly touched his. You were both so close, and you couldn’t help but notice that he wasn’t necessarily moving away. “Well, it doesn’t have to be a total bust. You maybe wanna do something? We could watch a movie, or…?”

“...Or?” Dan’s voice dropped a fraction as he spoke, examining your face to try and read where this could be heading. He didn’t wish to push his luck, but he wasn’t exactly certain that he’d be able to stop anything that developed from this moment on, either. You blushed under his intense gaze, unable to break eye contact with him as a long pause hung heavy in the air.

Before you could manage a reply, your phone buzzed in your pocket, startling the two of you into jumping towards the opposite ends of the couch. Pulling out the device, you scanned over the name of the person calling, an apologetic smile tugging at the corners of your mouth. “It’s Barry, I’d better take this,” you told him, and you were surprised to see Dan’s face draw into a bitter pout. It wasn’t like you were going to be on the phone for hours. Why was he getting so antsy?

Shaking it off, you answered the call just before it went to voicemail, placing the phone up to your ear. “Hey, Bear! What’s up, did Suzy tell you about Arin’s problem?” you asked with a smirk.

“She texted me the news. She said her bathroom is never gonna smell normal again.” Barry laughed on the other end of the receiver, causing you to let out a fit of giggles as well. From the edge of your vision, you spotted Dan’s claws digging into the side of the sofa, and you shot him a look to get him to stop as Barry continued. “So I was thinking since both of our plans for the evening have been shot, maybe you and I could do something?”

Your smile faltered a bit at his suggestion. It wasn’t that you didn’t wish to spend time with your friend, far from it. Barry was definitely the one person from your gang that you got along with best; you agreed with him on most movie choices, video game genres and general hot topics. In your opinion, he was definitely the most fun of the group to be around. But Danny seemed to dislike sharing your attention with your single male friend. At least, that’s how it appeared from the way he was behaving. How much hell would the demon raise if he discovered that you were abandoning his company for Barry’s?

“...[y/n]? You didn’t hang up on me, did you? Totally uncool.” Barry’s mockingly chiding voice on the other end of the line brought you out of your conflicting thoughts, and you decided at that moment that your blood bond was not going to call the shots in your life. No matter the consequences, you were still your own person.

“Sorry, I’m here! Just had to make sure you weren’t interrupting anything important in my schedule...like lounging around and playing video games alone,” you joked, unable to miss the heated stare that Dan gave you, silently judging you for leaving him out of the equation. But it wasn’t like you could admit to your human friend that your evening was originally going to be spent with a demon. “Yeah, we can hang at my place, maybe watch a movie or play some games?”

“Cool! I’ll be over in about an hour. See ya then, [y/n]!” After his farewells, Barry hung up, forcing you to set your phone down and face the irritated beast sulking next to you.

Before you could get out a single word, however, Danny quickly stood from his spot on the couch, brushing past you as he refused to make eye contact. You stood to follow him, not wanting to leave him in such a sour mood. “Dan, wait. You can still hang with us-” you began, following him as he stormed off towards his room. The sentence died in your throat as he whipped around, his dark, unfamiliar glare piercing you like daggers as you shrank back in mild fear.

“Yeah, because that’s a real fucking treat. Sitting around quiet as shit like a rock on the couch because you’d rather spend time with your stupid friend than with me.” His biting words confounded you, considering he’d anticipated doing just that not a half hour ago around your other friends. What was it about Barry that got him so heated? You reached a hand out towards him, but he moved away from your touch, turning to give you the cold shoulder. “I’ll be in my room, don’t fucking bother me unless it’s important,” he spat, slamming the door shut in your face. You could do little more than stand there, arm outstretched as your heart hung heavy in your chest.

~~~

“Hey, I still remember how to get to your place! Sweet.” Barry chuckled as he stepped carefully into your apartment, his arms laden with what appeared to be takeout bags. You were thankful for his kind gesture; spats with demons tended to leave trivial things like dinner on the mental back burner, no pun intended. Dan was blissfully still out of sight, pouting in his room as you entertained your guest, so there was a good chance that he would retire there for the evening. ...Okay, even you knew how much wishful thinking that was. You were naturally on edge about him pulling a few tricks, but you silently swore to be on constant watch, making sure the pranks remained non-lethal. Considering the demon’s temper, one couldn’t be too careful.

You shut the door with a smirk, making a beeline for the kitchen. “I was beginning to think you really did forget, considering you took an extra half hour to get here,” you teased back, causing the shorter male to blush before he made his way towards you, the plastic bags rustling as he set them up on the marble counter.

“Come on, why do you think I brought Chinese? It’s a peace offering,” Barry chided back, sharing a laugh while you snagged a couple of forks from a nearby drawer. It’s not like you were unfamiliar with chopsticks, but in your hungry state, it wasn’t worth the sake of impressing someone who was already your close friend. After searching a couple of the food boxes, you found one with a suitable meal inside, carrying it to the couch as you hastily popped a bite into your mouth. You hummed in approval at the taste, waiting for Barry to collect his own food and sit with you.

“You’re just lucky I haven’t eaten dinner yet, bro.” The words were spoken through a mouthful of rice and sauce, swallowing as you continued. “So, you wanna watch a movie, or something? I’ve been meaning to check out that one called Nerve, if you’re interested.”

Barry chewed his piece of chicken in thought before asking, “That’s the one with Emma Stone and Dave Franco, right? Where they’re doing all the crazy dares until people end up dying from them? Yeah, I could check it out, seems like your typical action thriller.” With the two of you resting comfortably on the loveseat, you scrolled through Netflix’s suggested films, finding the one in question not too far from the top. You pressed ‘play’ on the remote, setting it down as you snuggled into a curled up position next to your companion. He gave you a small smile before propping up his takeout box in his lap, allowing him to eat with one hand while the other found its way behind you. It came to a stop on your lower back, rubbing the spot soothingly as you let out a soft sigh of content.

Suddenly, the screen in front of you went black, causing you and Barry to jump slightly in your seats. “What the heck?” you asked aloud, not ready to blame Dan just yet for your technical difficulty. Standing from the sofa, you checked around the small flat screen for any sign of a loose cable. “I don’t see anything wrong. Bear, I know it’s your day off, but do you think you could take a look at this?”

“I’m a computer programmer, [y/n], not a TV repairman,” the brunette kindly reminded you - more so as a way of saying ‘don’t get your hopes up’ - before setting his food to the side, allowing him to slide onto the floor next to you with relative ease. Kneeling in front of the television, he set about unplugging and rewiring your devices while you continued to search for the problem elsewhere.

It made itself known when a menacing chuckle met your ears, one that had a definite reverb that made it anything but human. In an instant, you caught sight of the flat screen tilting precariously forward, sliding off of its stand by a ghostly force and towards the hunched over form of your friend. Barry didn’t even sense his imminent danger, still fiddling with two wires as the screen moved in quickly, ready to make contact with the back of his head.

“Barry, watch out!” In your haste to be heard, you instead opted to push him out of the way as your TV came crashing to the floor, inches from where you and Barry once were. Your heart was thumping wildly in your chest as you felt your blood pulse with a mix of fearful shock and red hot anger. Was Danny seriously trying to hurt Barry just for wanting to hang out with you? You gave an irritated sigh, making a mental note to have a little chat with your beastly roommate once you were alone.

The phantom laughter stopped the instant you shoved your friend to safety, replaced by the sound of frantic footsteps as the demon in question sprinted into the room. From his panicked expression, you deduced that he had somehow witnessed you attempt to save Barry, but his demonic vision had stopped short of seeing you avoid the television attack. Glaring up at him, you silently let him know that you were not at all pleased with his behavior.

“Aw, man...I’m so sorry, [y/n]. I must’ve tugged on a wire too hard, or something.” Barry’s meek apology brought your senses back to the matter at hand, your head turning to meet his guilty frown. He must have taken your heated stance as anger towards the broken TV. The screen was more than likely shattered, considering the height it fell from.You didn’t even have to look at it to know that there would be some pretty significant damage.

Shaking your head, your smile quickly returned, one that held a hint of calm understanding. “It’s all right, Bear. It wasn’t your fault, I should’ve mounted that thing a long time ago. I’m honestly just glad you’re all right,” you assured him. No way you were going to let him feel like he was responsible for your mangled tech. After all, you knew for a fact that he wasn’t. That particular title was reserved for the demon currently fidgeting in the corner, his feet shuffling slowly towards his room, as if being in there would protect him from the verbal ass beating you were mentally gearing up for.

Standing slowly, Barry walked over to the fallen device, picking it up slowly by its plastic frame. “M-maybe it’s not tha- ohhh...that’s really bad. I can’t even try to lie.” You walked up behind him, gasping softly as you caught sight of the plasma screen. The movie was miraculously still playing, though it was hard to tell, taking into account that most of it was overtaken with multicolored streaks of glitched pixels and cracks of pure black where the LED simply couldn’t shine through anymore.

“Iiii...think I need a new TV. Great,” you said sarcastically, needing another expense like a hole in your head. This had double shifts at the coffee shop written all over it. Unless, of course, Danny wished to mend a few burnt bridges by offering to conjure you up a new one. Knowing his crafty ass, he’d probably try to get you to sign for it first.

Barry slowly set the TV back up on its stand. Kind of a moot point, but still a sweet gesture. “Can I just reiterate that I am so fucking sorry?” You gave him a playful punch in the arm. He was beating himself up way too hard on this, he wasn’t the one who had to worry about whether or not you’d be speaking to them again after today.

“Only if I can reiterate that I totally don’t blame you, dude. If anything, I’ll just be watching some stuff on my laptop for a while. No big deal.” After a beat, you sat back down on the couch, picking up your box of Chinese with one hand while the other offered for Barry to take his. “How about I pull up Netflix and we finish that movie?”

Smiling warmly, your friend nodded as he took hold of his food, grateful to change the subject. He snuggled back on the loveseat next to you as you fired up your computer, setting it in your lap while the movie continued right where it had left off. You did your best to ignore the hell beast still standing awkwardly against the wall, his eyes trying desperately to make contact with yours. When Dan finally realized that getting your attention was fruitless, he turned to depart to his room, shoulders slumped in possibly the most pitiful retreat you’d ever seen. 

While you delighted in the fact that he seemed guilty, a small part of you actually felt remorseful for him. You couldn’t explain why, but seeing him so defeated caused your heart to break into more fractions than your shattered flat screen. Sighing softly, you decided that any problems you had with him would be solved after a little relaxation with a more reliable friend, and you nuzzled closer into Barry’s embrace as Dan disappeared from sight, your body and soul grateful for some loyal company.

~~~

Once the movie was over, you stretched in your seat, setting the empty rice boxes aside to clean up later. “Thanks for not bailing on me after that little fiasco, Bear. I really needed this time to chill out,” you said kindly, patting his knee as he pulled out his phone.

“Hey, no problem. Thanks for having me, I had a great time...you know, despite the whole ‘breaking your shit’ part of the evening.” You raised a finger to once again tell him you weren’t blaming him for the broken device, but he stopped you with a soft sigh. “Man...this girl I’ve been texting keeps asking to meet me. I’ve never really done the whole ‘blind date’ thing, but I guess it’s kind of not totally blind because I know what she looks like. I-I dunno, you think I should? What if she meets me and thinks I’m a huge nerd?”

You felt your heart swell with soft adoration, the idea of Barry being enamored with someone almost too cute to handle. “Bear, if she wants to meet you, then she already has come to terms with the fact that you’re a huge nerd,” you joked, giggling as your companion blushed in response to your teasing. “Come on, what have you got to lose? If she breaks your heart, you know I will not hesitate to make someone’s life a living hell in your honor.”

Barry laughed aloud at your offer, composing himself before looking from you to his phone with an eager grin. “You know what? Fuck it, I’m gonna see if she wants to go out next week.” He then tapped out a quick reply to the girl, pocketing it shortly after. “I’ll let you know how that unfolds after I get home.”

“Ooo, cliffhanger,” you hummed, chuckling with him as you escorted him to the exit. Once you’d said your goodbyes and closed the door, the smile on your face faded in an instant. It was time to face your demon. Literally.

Walking up to his room, you were unsure whether or not to knock. It seemed rude to simply barge in; after all, it was still his private space. But you were still upset over how Dan had behaved. You didn’t wish to act like his guardian, but honestly, that wasn’t too far off the mark anymore. After a moment’s thought, you gave a soft rap against the door with your knuckles, the sound met with a deadly silence. “Dan?” you called out, just loud enough for him to hear. Still no response. Was he seriously going to ignore you now? You were in no mood for games. If anything, his childish behavior was only making things worse for him.

Trying the handle, you found it unlocked, and you were quick to swing the door wide open. “Listen, Daniel. I don’t appreciate you giving me th-” Your sentence fell short as you were greeted by an empty room, and for a fleeting moment, you believed that the demon was merely cloaking himself somehow, or hiding in a place that would be impossible for a human to fit into. But after checking the closet, under the bed, and nearly every spot around the room for changes in temperature, the truth became chillingly clear; Danny was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhhh, snap! Speaking of cliffhangers... >:3
> 
> Another chapter done, yaaaay!~ And this time, I actually know exactly where I wanna go with this new development! (Hint: The name of the next character that's gonna appear in chapter seven is somewhere in this part of the story~)
> 
> For now, enjoy the angsty, jelly Daniel~ There will be more to come soon. ^w^


	7. Chapter 7

Your mind began to race as you tried to calm your breathing. Logic wasn’t really your strong suit under stress. Where could Dan have possibly gone? Back to Brian and Mrs. Connor’s apartment? No, the sweet old woman would have called to check up on you if she knew that there had been a falling out. What other options did he have? If he was just out wandering the streets, you hoped above all else that he was behaving himself. There was a flash of panic as you imagined innocent mortals witnessing spontaneously combusting dumpsters and exploding manhole covers as they made their way through the city.

Pacing the floor, you rationed it out in your head. Despite his childish behavior, Dan was still a mature...creature. He had said it himself, _”I’m a demon, not a pet.”_ That meant he was free to roam in spite of your blood bond. And yet, Danny had stuck by you this entire time up until now. You hated to admit it, but the loss of his presence was rather jarring, and not at all pleasant.

Thinking back to the bond you held with Dan, you wondered if it could possibly help you find him. Maybe there was a way to tap into it, like a dowsing rod of sorts. Closing your eyes, you forced your body to relax, occupying your thoughts strictly on finding your demon. For a second, it seemed to be another dead end in your search. Then, you felt it; a soft tug in your chest lulling you forward and out the door, like an invisible rope that connected your soul to him. Grabbing your coat, you opted to walk instead of bother with trying to start your car. It was a good bet that Danny hadn’t gone far from the building, no matter how upset he was. After all, the cozy lodging was still his home away from home.

You continued to let your gut guide you as you made your way down the darkened city streets, the determination to find your friend and apologize for your spat spurring you onward. Despite this, you still weren’t about to let him slide on what he had done to Barry, but you could concede that treating him like part of the wallpaper hadn’t exactly been cool, either. More than anything, you just wanted to make sure that he was safe. It seemed odd, worrying for a demon’s well-being. They were creatures that constantly took control, with not much that could shake them. And yet here you were, scouring the town in the middle of the night to assure that yours was okay.

“Jesus, I didn’t think he’d come out this far,” you muttered to yourself, tugging your coat tighter against you as a cold breeze bit through your clothing. The first thing you were going to request from Dan when you found him was a hug, the beast’s internal temperature a rather fitting one for a spawn of Hell, which you had discovered made him the perfect space heater. You couldn't help but notice that it was also bizarrely quiet, the area seemingly devoid of people and even cars as you walked down the road. _Where the hell is everyone? It’s not that late yet,_ you thought to yourself, a little put off by the lack of presence around you.

Just as you were about to give up and go back for your vehicle, you heard the murmur of people talking around the next corner, and your ears perked up as you realized that one of the speakers was Danny. Breaking out into a sprint, you stopped just short of the building hiding you from the other side of the block. It was only then that you realized just how scared your friend sounded. Pressing yourself against the wall, you glanced warily around the corner to discover who - or what - had made him so nervous.

The first thing you noticed was Dan kneeling in the middle of the road. The second was the man - no, the demon looming above his cowering position. Danny was seemingly bowing for the foreboding figure before him, which stood with its arms crossed and a scowl etched on its squared jaw. It was dressed in a crisp, tailored suit, complete with polished shoes and jet black hair that was slicked back against its head. In fact, everything about the apparition was prim and proper, but with a touch of shadowy gloom. Even its skin was a dull, film noir gray, though your eyes appeared to be playing tricks as the being radiated some kind of aura in the form of red and blue “3D” wavelengths. You held your breath as it spoke, noting that its voice doubled over on itself, like a glitchy character in a video game.

“This isn’t the first time you haven’t delivered on your promises, Daniel,” it said with a growl, one hand gripping onto the cane that hung by its side, while the other balled into a fist before relaxing. “I expected you back to work with another soul in your pocket for me yesterday. And yet here we are, milling about on this miserable plane of existence because I have lost my patience once again. You don’t get a free pass on my watch, I thought I made that perfectly clear after your last...incident involving their kind.”

“With all due respect, _sir_ , I told you I didn’t wish to speak about that incident ever again,” Dan retorted lowly, the words slipping out from between his clenched teeth. “This bond isn’t like that anyway. I’m just having trouble because the human won’t ask me for anything. I never anticipated it going this far, that’s why I gave you such a short return time.”

Sighing softly, the shadow creature tapped its foot as it seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. “Vera may have been a fluke on your part, but I know how your heart works, Daniel. You’re easily manipulated by these humans, and you spend far too much time on them than need be. They’re not your toys, souls are meant strictly for quota. Now, I expect this nonsense involving flirting and… _love_ to be over with. Or should I schedule a little visit to the boss again so that he can sort you out?”

Dan quickly shook his head at that, bowing low once more as he pleaded with the figure. “N-no, sir! I’ll...I’ll figure something out. Just please push my return time back by a couple of months. If I don’t have a contract by then-”

“Then I will have no choice but to drag you back to Hell and take the human’s soul myself, Daniel. You were given strict instruction from the boss, you are not permitted to be with a human for this long. If you would prefer to go against his word, it would be wise to have a solid alibi as to why.” The dark beast sneered a crude joke of a smile, stepping back as a gray fog seemed to roll in from nowhere. “Two months, Daniel. Just two months, or that soul is mine.” The mist grew thicker and more dense until dissipating altogether, and once it cleared, the shadow was gone, leaving Dan alone in the street. 

There was a tense pause before his body physically relaxed, shoulders drooping as he breathed a soft sigh of relief. You slowly stepped up to the crouching demon, unsure as to whether or not you should say something to alert him to your presence. Your heart nearly stopped beating when he raised his head and said over his shoulder, “He goes by Dark. Edgy as fuck, right?”

As you moved in closer, Danny stood as well, stretching his lanky limbs from being in such a hunched position for so long. Turning to face you, he gave you a tired grin, seemingly forgetting what had transpired back at the apartment in favor of taking in Dark’s draining presence. And honestly, you had to admit that your mind was in the same boat. You wanted to press the issue at hand, but in the end, curiosity won out. “Is he like, your boss or something?”

Dan let out a loud string of giggles at your simplistic explanation of the surly demon’s title, wiping his eyes as he responded, “I suppose. Do bosses in your realm torture you for a century if you manage to fuck up royally in front of them?”

Thinking for a moment, you then gave the beast your best stoic look. “No, here they just fire you. But I think yours is still better. I’d rather be suffering than jobless, that’s the American dream,” you sassed, keeping the straight face for as long as possible before breaking into a grin at the sound of Danny’s musical laughter. After a beat, another question sprouted up in your head, more curious than anything else. “How long did you know I was back there?”

A soft sigh escaped Dan’s lips, and he placed his hands on his hips as his warm eyes locked with yours. “Preeetty much as soon as you got here. I was listening to Darky boy rattle on and on about himself until I felt this force sort of tugging on my heartstrings, and the next thing I knew, your voice was echoing through my mind. Your thoughts were going a fucking mile a minute, it was kind of hard to ignore,” he joked, chuckling as your cheeks flushed a light shade of pink.

“W-well, I was concerned! I could tell that you were scared of him. But honestly, who wouldn’t be? I-I guess you could say that I had sympathy fear for you,” you replied, crossing your arms as you suddenly remembered that you were supposed to be mad at him. “And it didn’t help that I was worried sick about you running off like that! What were you thinking? I get that you’re your own demon and everything, but don’t you think I would’ve liked to have known that you were gonna take off?”

Dan merely smirked down at you as you scolded him, and instead of answering, he shocked you into silence by wrapping his arms around your waist in a soothing hug. He’d probably heard that demand from your thoughts at one point or another, but it didn’t make the gesture any less welcome, your arms following suit as you tightly hugged him back. “I know, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you, I was just...embarrassed by the way I acted. It was a total dick move for me to break your shit. I’d apologize to Barry too, if I could. A-and I promise, I’ll get you a new TV. No contract required.”

Your sheepish smile at Danny’s apology faded as he mentioned the contract, and you found yourself pulling away from his embrace, despite it being the last thing you wished to do. “About that...didn’t Dark say that this was the kind of stuff he wanted us to stop? And there was mention of a return time, I’m guessing on you returning with my soul. You and I need to seriously talk about this, I don’t want you getting in trouble for my sake. There’s gotta be some way to find a loophole, or-”

“Don’t worry about what that pretty boy said,” Dan said suddenly, cutting you off as he closed the gap between the two of you again. His clawed hand caught onto a stray strand of your hair before tucking it behind your ear, the motion enough to make you shudder softly under his touch. It was like his order not to get close to you only spurred him into breaking the rules all the more. Reaching up, his thumb gently caressed your cheek, causing the blushing skin to deepen as you gazed up at his charming grin. “We’ve got another two months to have our fun, and if Dark thinks I’m not gonna hang with you, that dude’s got another fucking thing coming.”

Unable to stop the blossoming warmth that spread through your body wherever Dan touched, you still smirked coyly at him, shaking your head as he held you close. “You’re like a dog being told he’s not allowed on the couch. ‘Let’s see just how much of my body can touch it until I get yelled at.’ Don’t go blaming me if you get a repeat visit from your shadowy friend on the matter,” you warned, poking him playfully in the chest.

Smiling wide, Dan flung an arm around your shoulder, seemingly opting to walk with you as he led the way back in the direction of your apartment. “Trust me, babe...I’d gladly kiss his ass again if it meant being with you,” he stated proudly, leaving you properly flustered and stuttering all the way home.

~~~

Another week flew by without incident after the evening involving Barry and Dark, with you filling out random shifts at work and Danny tagging along “because humans are interesting as fuck,” as he had so eloquently put it. While you were never one to be bright eyed and bushy tailed during business hours, he managed to be peppy enough for the both of you, cracking jokes with you and making you giggle while customers looked on at the odd barista laughing to themselves in front of the espresso machine.

While you would never tell him, you were starting to see why the demon wasn’t allowed to be around live people for an extended period of time. Despite always leaving it up to you, he was constantly begging you to allow him a walk around the block while you worked, in an attempt to see as many passersby as possible before the shift was over. It was somehow relieving, knowing that he was letting you call the shots on where he was permitted, and so every now and then you would bend, letting him roam for a few hours. There had been two rules before he’d been let loose into the public: ‘Be back before the shift was over’ and ‘No interaction, directly or otherwise, with anyone or anything.’ And considering you hadn’t seen anything on the news about flying objects or possessed children being spotted around the city, it was safe to assume that he was keeping up on his side of the deal.

The following Friday, you decided to have a much needed “introvert” day, skipping on errands of any sort in favor of lounging around the apartment all evening in pajamas and warm socks. It didn’t happen often, having absolutely nothing to do on a day off, and whenever they arrived, you liked to take full advantage. Waking up a little after noon with a smile and stretch, you slowly made your way into the kitchen to get started on coffee, only to find a fresh pot already brewed just a little under full. Your impromptu roommate sat with his legs crossed at the small kitchen table, sipping from a light blue mug with the words ‘Magical Girls Play Rough’ printed on the side in glittery pink cursive. A birthday gift from Arin, naturally.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today? I was thinking we could visit Mrs. Connor and Bri, maybe ask if they wanna join us in the park. Do you think the park’s okay for old ladies? I mean, I’ve seen ‘em in there feeding birds and shit, but walking around? Maybe instead we could -”

Holding your hands up to stop Danny’s ramblings, you took a moment to grab your Koffing painted mug from the cupboard and pour yourself a cup of the steaming beverage. “You can go ahead over to Mrs. Connor’s if you want, Dan,” you said over your shoulder as you added the desired amounts of cream and sugar. “I’m gonna stay in today. Catch up on some Netflix and maybe order a pizza later tonight. You’re welcome to stay or go, of course. It’s up to you, since I know this isn’t really your speed.”

Pausing in mild shock at your plan for the evening, the beast blinked at you, seemingly waiting for you to laugh and tell him that you were kidding. When a few silent seconds passed, it became clear to him that you were being completely serious, and he gave you a scoff of false amusement. “Damn right, it’s not! What the fuck, [y/n]? This so isn’t like you.”

“Actually, it’s exactly like me. If it had been up to me last week, I would have stayed in on that Friday, too. But we had to go grocery shopping instead, and then we bumped into Brian and…” You realized that you were rambling, and you cleared your throat to stall yourself, sitting in the seat across from him before continuing. “The point is that, while I don’t mind having to do chores or run places on my Friday afternoons, I savor the days where nothing is going on so I can relax at home.” Smiling softly, you added, “This the life of an introvert, Daniel. Take it or leave it.”

Dan mulled over your offer for a moment, expression bewildered at the concept of someone actually preferring solitude. Finally, his face broke into an amused grin, and he chuckled while shaking his head. “Well, it might not be what I like to do for fun, but I guess I owe it to you for being so cool to me this past week. What the fuck, I’ll stay in with you. I-I mean, if you’d prefer be alone, that’s fine too.” His last sentence was rushed out in a stuttering mumble, head bowing and cheeks reddening at the sound of your good-natured giggle.

“Like I said, you’re more than welcome to stay, Danny,” you replied sweetly, reaching out to take him by the hand. Dan’s eyes snapped up to meet yours in an instant, the simple touch almost electric as you unabashedly held his unblinking eye contact. There was a moment of pause, where neither of you dared to move or even breathe. Eventually, it was too much for your throbbing heart to take, and you shyly broke the intense gaze as Dan seemingly did the same. Yet you still held onto him, fingers interlocking gently as you stared down at the joined palms. “U-uhm, maybe you can grab us some blankets, and I’ll pick the show. You ever watch Evil Dead? Great movie, totally up your alley...sorry, was that racist?”

Dan stood to grab a few cozy sheets, but halted at your query. “...If it’s a movie about demons, then yes. But I’ll let it slide since you’re so beautiful,” he retorted with an air of sincerity, though it was hard to tell under his joking smirk. Regardless, it caused you to blush scarlet as you made yourself busy looking for the Blu Ray, your companion bounding off to collect a few blankets. “Ooh, hey! Can we make one of those pillow forts I’ve seen in the movies? Is that a real thing you humans can do?”

You couldn’t keep the smile from your face at the demon’s childish excitement, and you looked up a quick tutorial on your phone. “Doesn’t seem too hard. I’ll grab the chairs from the kitchen, you get as many pillows and blankets as you can carry,” you instructed, and you felt your heart flutter as you heard Dan let out a quiet little ‘yaay’ from the other room.

Soon enough, the jet black chairs were propped up around the couch, positioned the exact way the website directed you. As you took to the task of gathering tablecloth clips from one of the drawers in your kitchen, Dan came stumbling into the living room, throwing practically every bedsheet and pillow you ever owned in a large pile on the floor. “Lemme see the instructions,” he stated, opening and closing his fingers in a motion to ask for your phone. You handed it over, and his eyes scanned over the how-to for a mere few seconds before he gave the device back. “We need to drape this over the chairs, it’s the largest sheet in the bunch,” he stated, picking up the cloth in question.

With Dan in command, the project was done in just a few minutes, and the two of you stepped back to admire your handiwork. While it was a bit small, it managed to cover a good portion of your living room. The mouth of the comforter den faced your new television, a modest number that was only slightly better than what you’d had before. Dan had suggested a more impressive model, but you had insisted something affordable to make it seem like you had actually purchased it. 

The fort took full advantage of the couch as a back ‘wall,’ while the chairs stood as pillars on each end, propped up higher in the back with a few fluffy pillows. You were proud to admit that it made for a rather impressive hideaway. “Okay...that was fucking fun,” the horned creature commented, reaching behind you to give you a hearty pat on the back. “Good work, rookie. Job well done.”

Nodding in agreement, you then crouched down to crawl inside, finding the space surprisingly comfy as you coaxed Danny in as well. “Come on in, love. I don’t bite,” you cooed teasingly, giggling to yourself as the demon chuckled alongside you.

“Well, that’s such a coincidence...because Iiiii do!” he retorted, kneeling down quickly to playfully gnash his fanged jaws in your direction. Despite your best efforts to appear unfazed, you squealed in surprise, leaning away until you fell over on your back. There was the sound of shuffling as he cursed softly, moving a few blankets aside to help you. “Shit, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you so hard,” Dan chuckled nervously, approaching your side as you sat up against one of the nearby pillows.

“No worries, I was more avoiding your breath than your teeth,” you jabbed, unable to stop your grin as the beast dramatically attempted to check. “I’m kidding, you dork. Here, sit back with me and we’ll start the film.” Once you were situated, with your head resting comfortably against Dan’s shoulder, you pressed play on the remote, nuzzling closer unconsciously as the screen darkened.

Glancing down at you, Dan couldn’t seem to help himself, smirking as he ran a gentle hand up and down your back. “So you do this for just anyone that’ll watch a movie with you, huh?” he teased, the blush returning to your cheeks as your reaction only made him laugh louder. “Kidding, that was more a diss on me for being so damn jealous of you and Barry.”

Wait...did he just admit that he had been jealous? You’d discussed a few things with him on the situation that had unfolded last week, but that had never surfaced. Shaking your head, your eyes drifted back to the screen, deducing that he had only been joking on top of his joke. No way he was actually jealous...right?

The further the movie progressed, with more and more of the teens in the story getting picked off by various malevolent spirits, the tighter Danny seemed to hold you, actually burying his face in your neck at a particularly gruesome scene where one of the girls was possessed and chopped to pieces by her friends. “I get they’re supposed to be scary, but do they have to fucking gurgle like that?” he whimpered into your shirt, and you gave him a sympathetic smile, rubbing his back soothingly in an attempt to ease his fear. You naturally hadn’t expected him of all people to be frightened of a film like this, especially one so cheesy. But if anything, it just made him all the more adorable in your eyes.

The final scene with Ash leaving the cabin rolled, and just when Dan thought it was safe, the screen began to whip and shake around once more, causing the demon to yelp before returning to his spot curled up by your side. Ash let out one final scream, and then the screen snapped to black, followed promptly by the credits. “Hey, it’s over,” you said kindly, patting your friend’s shoulder as he gave a tentative glance towards the television. At the sight of the cast listing, he breathed a sigh of relief, only then realizing just how frightened he had acted through the entire movie. Immediately, he flushed a red that matched his horns, and you smiled in understanding. “It’s all right, Dan. So scary movies aren’t your thing. My fault for being a demon racist again,” you quipped, hoping to lighten the mood.

Unfortunately, Danny didn’t seem too reassured by the personal jab. “I-It’s not just that. You’re kind of right in the sense that most demons would get a good laugh out of a film that stupid and violent. But it’s not really my style, y’know? I think you can get the same thing out of a human through treating them with a shred of dignity as you can just straight up torturing them. I-I know, sounds pretty dumb, huh?” Dan asked timidly, letting out a nervous chuckle and making himself appear even more charming somehow.

You quickly shook your head at his question, pulling him back in for a comforting hug, his head tucked into your chest as your hand wove gently through his tangled brunette locks. He froze for only a moment, nuzzling into the embrace once he realized that you hadn’t poked fun at his humiliating confession. “I don’t think it sounds dumb at all. If anything, you’re more unique that way. A demon who doesn’t do demon stuff? What will they think of next?” you said with a grin, pleased to feel the warm buzz of laughter hum through him and into your heart. After a few more minutes of cuddling, he pulled away, still leaning rather close as he studied your expression.

“When will you ever stop stunning me with your beautiful soul, [y/n]?” he murmured, his tone low and smooth enough to send a pleasant shiver down your spine. As you attempted to recover, his chestnut eyes suddenly flicked down to your lips before returning your gaze. It was only for a moment, but it felt like it lasted an eternity. Another minute passed in silence, with the two of you inches apart as Dan seemed to contemplate something in his head. Eventually, he sighed, though this time with a hint of lament, moving away from you as you willed every fiber in your being not to cry out in disapproval. You had been so close, and yet...something was still holding him back. He seemed upset about it as well, head hung low as if he knew he had missed out on something that the both of you surely wanted.

“...What do you say we order that pizza?” you said suddenly, not wanting your companion to dwell on his choice any longer. You weren’t going to chastise him for keeping his distance. It was his decision to make just as much as it was yours, demon or otherwise. And you were never one to shrink away from sacrificing your own feelings for the sake of others’.

Dan’s expression lightened ever so slightly, and he smiled softly before nodding in agreement. “That sounds great, I’m fucking starving,” he agreed, crawling out from the fort to retrieve your cell phone. As you sat alone, you thought about what would have happened if Danny had kissed you. Was it right to avoid him? You felt that, once you got a taste of him, you wouldn’t be able to let go. His charms were having an affect on you, and it was getting harder to stay afloat in a sea of churning emotions. But what happened once the contract was taken care of? Whether you signed over your soul or not, it would more than likely be the last time you’d ever see him. Just the thought of being apart from him tore you up inside. But now you were on a time limit, the seconds ticking away as Dark sat waiting in the shadows, ready to take over once Dan eventually would have to step down.

“Hey, [y/n]. You okay in there?” Dan’s concerned voice brought you back to reality, and you looked up at your demonic partner as he peeked into the mouth of the fort to hand you the phone. “They can’t hear me, you have to call them. Dude on the other line has a short temper and I already tried twice, so if he yells at you for pranking him, you could probably say it was a bad connection and get a free pizza.”

Taking hold of the cell phone, you couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of your mouth, gesturing for him to return to his spot by your side. He obliged without question, latching onto you like a lost puppy. And in that moment, you realized that, no matter who tried to come between you and Danny, you would do anything for your demon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a long one this time, readers! Ooo, looks like we got some unwanted company. >:3 How will you and Dan get out of this one? And why is he still being so distant? Stay tuned, all will be revealed soon. uwu
> 
>  
> 
> (Also, sidenote: I have a new chapter for another fic I've started waiting in the wings, so if you really enjoy my Dan-fics, be ready for that installment soon!)


	8. Chapter 8

It was starting to become easy to fall into a routine with Dan. He was turning into quite the sassy roommate day by day, his demonic features the only reminder that there was more to him than simply a friendly companion who ate your food and bunked with you. But in actuality, that was more or less what he had become. In spite of the now limited time to figure out a solution to the ownership of your soul, there was a playfulness that radiated off of him whenever he would obediently tail you to work or goof around at home after a stressful day. To say that you were growing comfortable in his presence would be a vast understatement.

After a particularly rough Friday at the cafe, you stumbled into the apartment with a groan. These were supposed to be your precious hours off, and yet work had robbed you of them. Or rather, one lazy aspect of it. “Fuck, I could kill Josh with my bare hands,” you griped, referring to the fact that you had been called in on your day off thanks to one of your coworkers phoning in sick. And knowing how flaky Josh tended to be, both you and Dan had voiced your doubts about the barista having more than just a phony cough. 

The demon in question naturally followed in after you, closing the door behind him as he geared up to park himself wherever you saw fit to collapse. Flopping on the couch face first seemed like a good option, and so you did just that, leaving room for him to perch on the edge of the cushions in front of your curled up middle. “You say that like you wouldn’t just send me to do your dirty work,” the beast said with a playful chuckle, reaching out to pet a gentle clawed hand through your [h/c] locks. You sighed peacefully at the sensation, leaning into his touch like it was second nature.

“Hey, I stand by finishing my own battles, thank you very much,” you sassed back, though the grin on your face snuffed out any sense of actual irritation from your biting words. The two of you laughed in unison before calming back down, resting in comfortable silence as your eyes met his adoring gaze. He was throwing you more expressions like that lately, each one causing you to blush deeply at the sight of him looking at you like a lovesick puppy. This time was no different, your cheeks dusted a light shade of pink as you couldn’t help the sweet giggle that bubbled up past your lips. “You know, if you keep staring at me like that, I’m gonna start thinking you wanna kiss me, big guy.”

Now it was Dan’s turn to flush, laughing nervously as his arm reached up to rub the back of his neck. “W-well, what can I say? You have a very lovely face. It’s hard not to give you bedroom eyes like, all the time, [y/n],” he retorted, though the sass was back in his tone, so it was hard to tell if he was being serious or not. A part of you really wished to pry at this point. It felt like torture, not knowing whether or not his ‘feelings’ for you were harmless teasing, or something more. Why else would he be stringing you along with no payoff for either party? But Danny had proven time and again that he wasn’t just in it for the contract, and it was that fact which made you cling to the hope that he would fight tooth and nail to make sure this didn’t end too soon. Not before you told him...

The hum of your phone shook you out of your thoughts, and you gave him a look that read ‘behave’ before sitting up, pressing the button on your screen to answer. “Hello? Oh, hey Suzy...Tonight? Uhh...yeah, sure. You know I just got off of work, right?...Yep, fucking Josh again. I swear, I can’t wait until he gets fired...Yeah, I’ll be over in about half an hour...Okay, sounds great! See ya then!” You hung up the call, looking over at Dan’s confused expression as you prepared to fill him in on the plan. “So it turns out Suzy’s got somewhere to be tomorrow night, and Arin’s going out with her. She still wants a game night this weekend, so she was wondering if we could come over tonight. You up for it?”

At the mentioning of hanging out with your crew, the demon’s expression lit up, nodding eagerly as he practically bounced on the edge of his seat. “Am I?!” he said with a grin, standing on his lanky legs before stumbling his way into his bedroom. You watched him run off with an amused smirk tugging at your lips, knowing exactly what he was getting ready to show you. Ever since he’d discovered that Ross was possibly the most easily startled out of everyone in your gang, Danny had taken quite a liking to messing with the poor Aussie at any chance he got. It was like a game to him, with each set up being more twisted and demented than the last.

He came back a few minutes later (after a significant amount of rustling and thumping about had met your ears), holding a seemingly innocent book bound in red leather. Lifting it higher, he showed it off like a showcase model as you sat back on the couch. “Just a normal book, right? Well, what would you say if this thing was attached to Ross’s hip all night long? Everywhere he turns, it’ll be there. On every table, shelf, countertop...And just when he starts to notice it’s following him…” The horned creature paused, and before your eyes, the crimson color began to drip from the tome, as if actually bleeding onto the floor.

After a long pause, you spoke up. “It’s like you want him to have a heart attack. If it wasn’t for me defending his ramblings, everyone else at our meetups would have locked him in a looney bin thanks to you.” Dan seemed unperturbed by your statement, actually appearing giddy at the thought of him single-handedly sending one of your human companions to an insane asylum. “Just promise me that when you pull off that final maneuver, I’m around to calm him down a bit.”

Pouting playfully, Dan made the book disappear into the nook of his leather jacket. “Awwe, but what’s the fun in that?” he whined, and you rolled your eyes before standing to step in front of him, your hand reaching up to lightly tap him on the nose.

“Think less fun and more me doing damage control. Or do you want Suzy to call an exorcist on our asses?” You hadn’t missed the odd glances that your best friend had been giving you the past few weeks, almost as if she knew who you were whispering to in the shadows. But maybe it was just your imagination running wild. Still, if anyone could sniff out a demon in your crew, it was the bona fide witch with a library of spellbooks at her disposal.

Waving a hand at your comment, Dan took his turn to roll his eyes towards the ceiling. “Oh, please. Like some dude on Craigslist could exorcise all of this hot bod.” He took a moment to ‘flex’ for you, but if anything, all he truly did was display just how non-threatening he appeared to the untrained eye. The sight of it caused a string of your laughter to follow his over the top peacocking. “Someone call a vet, ‘cause these pythons are _sick._ ”

After another two full minutes of giggles, the last of which Danny joined in on, you wiped your eye before giving him a gentle swat on the arm. “Yeah, they are...they’re malnourished. What do you feed them?” you sassed, causing him to let out a dramatic gasp of shock at your faux mocking.

“I don’t have to stand here and take that! I am beautiful, no matter what you say!” he lisped in a high-pitched feminine voice, leading to another bout of chuckles between the two of you. Composing himself, he nodded towards your bedroom door with a cheeky grin. “Wanna go get ready? I’ll be out here, and I promise, I’ll be good until you get back.”

Staring him down for a moment, you mimed keeping your eyes on him before heading off to your room, giggling all the way. As you rummaged in your closet for a half decent outfit, your thoughts kept wandering back to the demon just outside, pondering all of the ways you could admit to him that the one thing you wanted to wish for was for him to never leave your side. You groaned inwardly, embarrassed by how selfish and needy that sounded. But it was the truth, there was nothing you wanted more than to love him and be loved in return. But was it worth losing your soul? As far as you were concerned, a life without Dan was worse than eternal damnation. What good was Heaven if it couldn’t give you the one thing you truly couldn’t live without?

You stood in front of the full length mirror by your bed, fingers adjusting your ‘Mario Bros.’ t-shirt before reaching for the belt that hung in the loops of your jeans. You froze in place as a pair of arms suddenly snaked around your middle, snapping your head up to see Danny standing directly behind you, a coy grin tugging at his lips. “I know I said I’d behave, but I just can’t help myself around you, [y/n]. You’re like a drug, and I can’t get enough…” His low toned words sent a shiver of pleasure up your spine, his clawed hands spidering their way up your sides until resting on the curve of your shoulders. Pushing down on them a bit, Dan then dipped his head closer, pressing a chaste kiss to the nape of your neck. He was right, it wasn’t enough...you needed more.

“Dan...please,” you managed to whimper out, biting your lip so hard you were sure to draw blood. Would he be disgusted by that? Or would it just make him more excited? Maybe the scent of your crimson nectar would make him spin you around and hungrily dive for your mouth like a wild animal in heat. You were willing to find out if it meant him ravishing you until dawn. Unsure of what to do with your own hands, you eventually settled them on top of his, breath hitching as he continued to nip at your sensitive skin. You’d make up something to tell Suzy later as to why you were going to be late, this was definitely more important.

Hearing Danny groan your name again caused you to nearly melt, falling back into him with your eyes closed in pure bliss as his hands dared to sneak their way back down to your hips. Then you felt them going even lower, but if he was expecting you to stop him, he was in for quite a surprise. You waited with bated breath for the feeling of him touching your bare skin...but it never came. Opening your eyes slowly, you looked around to find that you were alone in your bedroom, belt still undone with your fingers gripping the buckle so hard your knuckles were turning white. Shaking your head clear of your sinful thoughts, you wondered for a fleeting moment if your impatient libido had just imagined the whole thing.

“[y/n]?” Dan’s voice snapped you fully back to the present, and you turned around to find him standing in the doorway, expression laced with concern as he cautiously stared you down. In that instant, you prayed that whatever spell you’d been under hadn’t caused any embarrassing phrases to slip out of your mouth. “What’s taking ya? I know it’s harder for humans to get dressed and shit, but I’ve been waiting for like, ten minutes! I was starting to think Dark got to you behind my back, or something,” he joked, though seemingly only half serious as he nervously glanced around the room.

“N-no, no. I’m fine, just...work must’ve really gotten to me today. I think I passed out for a second and was dreaming while standing here,” you retorted with an awkward chuckle, subtly glazing over the details of what exactly your mind had just fabricated. Loosening the grip on your belt, you finally cinched it tight before stepping up to his side. “C’mon, Suze and the gang are waiting.” He thankfully dropped the subject quickly once he deemed you safe and fit to leave the house, nodding in agreement as he led the way to the front door. Smiling sweetly up at him, you took your hand in Dan’s as the two of you left the apartment, your erotic hallucination pushed to the back of your mind for safe keeping.

~~~

“Come OOON! What the fuck, Ross?! I thought you said you’ve been getting better at this map!”

Arin’s high-pitched screeching caused you and Suzy to burst into a fit of laughter, along with Danny, who had taken a liking to sitting directly behind you and pulling you against his chest as you played Mario Kart with your friends. It was common for the group to break off in pairs and race in teams, especially when lack of attendance left you with an even number of players. But Arin was certainly the most competitive of the gang, and the receiver of his tirade was not nearly as excited to be yelled at, even though everyone knew that his rage was an act which held no real mirth. “I have been!! You didn’t notice I only fell off of the track one time that lap?” As he spoke, Ross sent Waluigi’s go kart careening off of another cliff, which only made you and the others giggle even louder. “Okay, hear me out on that one! ...You distracted me,” Ross stated matter-of-factly, not even flinching as his teammate’s face darkened to a deep, red color.

“Arin, calm down. You’re gonna bust an artery if you keep getting mad like that. It’s just a game, dude,” you commented gently, trying to deescalate the situation. Though if anything, your words sent the brunette into another fit of rage.

“EASY FOR YOU TO SAY WHEN YOU’RE IN FIRST PLACE EVERY FUCKING RACE, [y/n]!!!” he shouted, only this time, even he was smiling throughout his rant. Arin could be loud, but he was the last person to genuinely shout at anyone. You’d come to the conclusion as a group that his random spikes of volume just meant that he was having a good time.

Turning towards her husband after passing the finish line, Suzy pouted playfully at him while Princess Daisy celebrated on screen. “And no mention of how I’ve been maintaining second place like a boss? I thought you loved me, Arin,” she teased, and you watched as Arin’s expression brightened almost instantly upon meeting her gaze. It was honestly rather sweet how easily she could calm him down. Almost on instinct, you nuzzled further into Dan’s lap, his arms quietly reaching around your waist to hug you closer to him.

“Of course you have, babe. I do love you, and your badass skills at Mario Kart. But you know who I definitely _don’t_ love right now?” Once Arin uttered those words, Ross lost control of Waluigi once more, sending him falling to his temporary death. “FUCK! That’s it, dude! You’re on [y/n]’s team next round!!”

You quickly shook your head at that. “No fucking way, Arin. You picked him, you’re stuck with him. Not my fault you suck at choosing teams.” You sent a smug smirk his way, which became more natural and sympathetic when Arin sulked back onto the couch. “All right, you big baby. We can swap next round. Maybe this time you’ll be smart and not betray your wife because Ross made up some bullshit story about practicing to beat me.”

Placing a hand to her forehead dramatically, Suzy batted her eyelashes as she sighed. “Someday my prince will return to me…” She then dropped her arm back down, smirking up at her partner. “But until then, we’re totally whipping you clods.”

“Hey! That’s my word! You can’t use it!” Arin joked, causing everyone to laugh once more before returning to the game. You fell behind a bit on the first lap as you really weren’t paying attention, too aware of the dark red book that had just been tossed a few feet from Ross’s right foot. It was out of sight for everyone except him, the source of the evil tome chuckling in amusement behind you.

Once you were sure that everyone was engrossed in the game, you leaned back a bit further, head tilting up to meet his gaze before whispering, “Play nice, or no cookies later.” Dan let out a short gasp of betrayal, soft brown eyes looking down at you like a kitten begging for his dinner. After a beat, you gave a quiet huff, patting him gently on the knee before returning to your race. It was an empty threat and he knew it. No way you were going to miss out on seeing his face light up when you pulled out a fresh batch of his favorite break and bake treats straight from the oven.

A few competitions later, the group came to a consensus that the game had run its course - no pun intended - and Arin powered down the Switch while the rest of the gang stood to stretch. You heard a frightened squeak behind you, turning to see Ross in a staring contest with the same book from earlier, the latter now perched on a nearby coffee table. “H-hey, is it just me, or is this thing following me?” Turning to you, the Aussie then asked, “You didn’t move this, did you [y/n]?”

While a part of you wanted to help out your friend, another, much larger side really wished to see how this latest prank would play out. Plus, if you did explain the situation, you’d be in for a lot of follow up questions, the first of which you were certain would be, ‘Are you insane?’ So instead, you gave him an innocent smile, shrugging nonchalantly. “No, man. Not sure what’s up with it.”

Ross visibly gulped as he looked from you back to the book. “O-okay, I just-” Before he could finish his sentence, the leather binding did what was expected of it, the blood-red color dripping onto the table before pooling on the carpet below. You watched your friend’s eyes go wide, and as you reached out to console him, the shorter male turned tail and ran in the other direction, screaming in horror.

It didn’t take long for a musical string of giggles to meet your ears, and you turned with a pout to see Dan doubled over in laughter, holding his sides as he attempted to pull himself together. “I hope you’re proud of yourself. Are we done now? Can you please make this shit disappear?” You didn’t mean to be so short with him, but if Suzy saw any of this, she would break out the incense and salt in a heartbeat. Unless he wanted to be tortured slowly all night, this wasn’t a good move for him.

“Oh, come on, [y/n]. You had to admit, that was kind of funny,” he chortled, standing up straight to wipe his eye. Sauntering over to you, he wrapped a comforting arm around your shoulder, holding up his free hand as you watched on in mild confusion. Just when you were about to ask what he was doing, the demon gave a whistle, and in an instant, the book’s color quickly sapped up from the floor to coat itself over the cover once more, making it look as if it had never lost the shade in the first place.

He then opened and closed his hand in a calling gesture, causing the book to leap from the table and into his exposed palm, allowing him to take hold of it and swiftly tuck it into the inner pocket of his jacket without missing a beat. “There ya go. All put away, nice and tidy. And no one noticed, so why not enjoy the show?” Breathing a sigh of relief, you then shot an amused smile Dan’s way. All worries aside, his pranks never failed to amaze you, so you liked to give him credit for his creativity. Not to mention, it was always fun to see prank master Ross taken down a peg or two.

“...Fine. I have to admit, it was really good. Between you and me, I think Ross peed a little when the blood started dripping,” you replied, laughing along with him as you relished in his successful joke. You were so caught up in each other’s company, it came as a bit of a shock when a quiet voice rose up behind you, the question it carried enough to pierce through you like a knife.

“Who are you talking to?”

You whipped around with your eyes open wide, staring Suzy down as she stood behind you, her face laced with concern over the fact that she had just caught you seemingly talking to yourself. A million excuses raced through your mind, and you struggled to hang onto just one of them as you forced all of your willpower to focus on not glancing over at Dan. One look at seemingly thin air was all it would take for your friend to go full cleansing circle on you. “U-u-uh...myself.” Wow, so it looked like your mental roulette managed to land on double zeros.

You resisted the urge to bite your lip, nerves eating you alive as your friend’s eyebrow raised in doubt. “...Yourself. And you expect me to believe that? [y/n], don’t take this the wrong way, but...I’ve noticed that you’ve been acting kind of weird these past few weeks. I was thinking it might have something to do with you borrowing my occult book, a stray demonic entity possibly latched onto you without your knowing.” Oh, she had _no_ idea. You ignored the urge to flinch at the sight of the incense she pulled from her pocket, but it wasn’t you that you were worried about. Still refusing to even glance at Danny, you could only hope that he’d taken one look at the wrapped herbs and had moved somewhere where the fumes wouldn’t affect him.

Suzy lit the end of the incense before blowing it out, the smoke that arose from the dried sticks thick and stark white, bringing with it the smell of burning cedar. Mumbling a few words to herself, she then brought it closer to you, but you were quick to dodge away. “W-woah, Suze! What are you doing? Trying to catch me on fire?” you joked nervously, though in the pit of your stomach you knew what she was about to tell you.

“Nonsense, this is a repelling herb. It’ll keep away any malevolent spirits that wish to latch onto you.” That made your heart bleed to the floor faster than Dan’s prank book. You’d read up on what white sage could do. Those damned herbs would keep Dan from being able to even share the same space as you. The effect was temporary, but the thought of not being able to spend time with him was admittingly a hard hurdle to pass. 

As you leaned back from the incense once more, a sudden buzz from your pocket gave you an excuse to fully duck down, far from the strong smelling smoke. “Hang on, Suze...I’m getting a call,” you practically begged your best friend, raising a finger up in pause before your thumb hit ‘accept.’ 

Placing the device to your ear, you were shocked to hear Dan’s voice on the other end. “Put the call on speaker, I know what to do.” A subtle turn to your right proved that he was long gone, much to your relief. No doubt he had disappeared somewhere far away from Suzy’s magic, unable to bear the aroma of the smoldering sage. Once you deciphered what he was saying, you pulled the phone back and hit the correct button.

What Dan said next nearly made your heart stop.

“Hey, babe! What gives, you hung up so fast on me. Everything okay?” Danny’s mildly perplexed voice rang clear as a bell in the spacious living room, causing everyone nearby to raise their heads up in confusion to the new voice. You were frozen in place, unable to move or even think of something witty to say. Was Dan trying to make them think that he was your boyfriend?! Well, it was certainly a better option for him than sleeping in the apartment hallway, you supposed.

Snapping back to the matter at hand, you glanced down at your cell phone, almost as if it were a foreign animal that was latched onto your palm. Finally, you found your voice, which cracked before clearing your throat. “Y-yeah...sorry about that, sweetie. Unfortunately, I think Suzy finally found us out,” you laughed nervously, smiling sheepishly at the raven haired woman as she squinted in mild suspicion. Might as well go all in, now that the cat was out of the bag.

There was a noise of soft resignation on the other end of the line, followed with Dan’s adorably bubbly laughter. “Aww...sorry about that, [y/n]. Well, if we’re getting formalities out of the way, hi everyone! I’m Danny, I’ve been dating your friend [y/n] here for about a month and a half now!”

That made Arin’s eyes go wide, his larger form stepping forward to stand by his wife. “Woah, woah, _woah_. How long have you two been seeing each other?” There was a long pause, followed by one of his trademark goofy grins. “And you didn’t even introduce us? Shame on you, how are we supposed to rough up your dates if we don’t even know you have ‘em?” Always eager to take on a fatherly role, that was Arin’s specialty. You never wanted to push it on either of them, but combined with Suzy’s motherly love, they’d make great parents someday.

“You ever think it’s the fact that you want to abuse my significant others that makes me wary of you meeting them, Ar?” you asked sarcastically, which brought forth another genuine snort of laughter from Dan. Giggling yourself, you held up the phone to speak to him, growing more comfortable in the lie as time went on. “Well, I’d better hang up, we’re gonna get back to our game night. See you at my place tonight?”

You could practically hear the smile in Dan’s voice as he replied, “There’s nowhere I’d rather be, baby.” After a few more flustered goodbyes, you hung up the phone, immediately rushed by your companions asking all kinds of questions. (“How did you meet? When were you gonna introduce us? Is he good to you?”)

Finally, you held your palms up in mock defense, looking from one friend to the other with an exasperated sigh. “Look, I’ll see if he wants to come to a game night, or something. He’s just a little shy, I didn’t want to scare him off. And before you all go defending yourselves, need I remind you that Suzy was ready to spiritually cleanse me when she thought I was talking to myself, and Arin already wants to kick this guy’s ass for liking me.” The one or two noises of protest from the gang were silenced at that, replaced with calm nods of resigned agreement. “Okay, now...if we’re all settled on my love life, can we please get back to some fun?”

And so the game night continued without a hitch, the only indication that anything was different being the occasional jab from Arin about how you had only hid Dan away because he was too ugly to take out in public. You were quick to correct him, even going so far as to say that the brunette probably would have no trouble fantasizing about the demon once they met. “I’m gonna fucking hold you to that, [y/n]. Don’t fuck with me, the list of guys I would let put a penis in me cannot be shaken,” he retorted quickly, causing you to laugh and miss giving Ross a high five after a successful Mario Party mini game.

“Trust me, Arin...Dan’s gonna shake it, bake it, and serve it for dinner. Just you wait and see.” If you were honest with yourself, being open about Danny like he was your partner proved to be a refreshing feeling. And it was one that you hoped wouldn’t be snuffed out too soon.

~~~

After several more hours of games and food, the night finally drew to a close, Suzy and Arin leading you and Ross to your cars to make sure you both got there safely. A few goodbyes was all it took, and you were on the road, making it home in record time to see your demonic companion again. You had to give him credit, he had been really clever in coming up with that boyfriend story on the fly. Though you wished it was more than just a cover up…

You gave your head a shake as the elevator took you to your floor. No, there was no need to go down that path again. Dan had made it clear he didn’t want a relationship, who were you to step on his feelings? Sighing softly, you felt a familiar tug on your chest as you made it to your apartment door, opened the lock…

And gasped in surprise when you felt a pair of warm lips gently touch yours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh, my God...feels like it's been a thousand years. >3<
> 
> Sooo, a little update on what's going on in my life: I'm moving! And not just like, down the road or across town...my girlfriend and I will be moving out together in Portland, OR by the end of next month! To give you some context, she lives there...I live across the frigging country in Pennsylvania. So needless to say, life's been piling up on me. owo;;
> 
> Thank you so much to all the people that have stuck around in the hopes that this would update again. I'm so grateful to have you as fans, and I hope this slightly longer chapter makes up for my absence. uwu And if you're new, thanks for reading, and I hope to post more as soon as possible!


	9. Chapter 9

You were frozen in place, unable to move as it finally registered that Dan was the one kissing you. And that fact was enough to send your body into full panic mode, wondering for a fleeting moment if what he had told your friends was more than just a bluff to get out of an awkward situation. Not that this wasn’t any more uncomfortable, as he wasn’t even really moving his lips against yours. Was he certain that he was a demon of lust? If so, his foreplay could use a little practice...

Brushing _that_ embarrassing image from the surface of your thoughts, you instead focused on the present, pulling back after nearly ten seconds of standing there lip locked - though, in your head, it had been much longer. “Wh-wha…?” It was all your befuddled mind could manage, staring up at the demon in wide eyed wonder. It only dawned on you now just how...normal he looked, horns and claws seemingly tucked away to give the appearance of a typical human. He stared down at you, looking from left to right as if expecting you to be accompanied by someone. And then, he finally relaxed, shoulders slumping a bit as he gave you a tired grin.

“Oh, good...I had this crazy thought in my head after we hung up that your crew was gonna show up to the house and introduce themselves, so I figured I’d be ready,” he chuckled, and after a beat, realization washed over you as his plan unfolded before your eyes. You smiled softly as well, though yours was certainly more melancholy. For one blissful minute, you’d actually believed that he was going to sweep you off of your feet as soon as you got home, confess something in hushed whispers against your skin that you’d hoped he would admit weeks ago; that he simply couldn’t go on living without you.

Not noticing your shift in mood, Danny spun on his heel, leading the way back into the apartment as you quietly shut the door. “By the way; yes, anyone can see me whenever I want. I just have to like, will them to see me, y’know? I don’t do it all the time, ‘cause it takes a lot outta me, as well as this disguise…” On his command, the demonic features you knew so well returned, horns twisting from his temples and fingernails elongating as his brown eyes glowed a dull shade of red. “So you get why I choose to stay hidden. Why flex a feature when there’s no need for it, right?”

It hit you that he’d asked a question, and you blinked a few times before nodding in understanding. “Y-yeah, of course. Makes perfect sense. I-I’m sorry, I was just...It’s been a long day, I think I’m gonna head to bed.” You really didn’t wish to cry in front of Danny, especially over something that he didn’t even mean to do. How could he have known that you were pining for him when you wouldn’t even dare to admit it aloud?

“Oh...okay! I was thinking of staying up. I’m really into that show you introduced me to last week on Netflix, I wanna catch up so we can binge watch the next season together.” Paired with a charming smirk, his sweet suggestion shouldn’t have meant anything serious between friends. But at the thought of you and him curled up on the couch together watching television, the warm fuzzy feeling of adoration that came with it turned ice cold upon the reality that the affection would never be mutual.

You ducked your head down, swiping at your eyes before shooting him a broken grin. “S-sounds great, I’ll hold you to that,” you rushed out. Without another word, you bolted for your bedroom, locking the door behind you silently before slumping against the wall. It didn’t take long for the tears to start, unable to hold back the emotions of your broken heart.

As he watched you take off, Dan raised a brow in confusion, his heart suspiciously heavy as if it knew he had done something wrong. “W-was it something I said?” he muttered.

~~~

The following work week seemed to crawl by at a snail’s pace, the gloom of Danny’s rejection seeming to project from you across the city in the form of cold, heavy rain that drenched the streets and those who walked them. Work was relentless, business truly booming as the holiday season drew near. Not that you minded much, the added workload left little time for you and Dan to chat much at the cafe, which meant no awkward conversations about your mixed feelings towards him. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to spark up a discussion whenever possible.

“I really don’t get this whole Christmas...thing. So because this holy guy got nailed to a piece of wood, we have to give each other gifts and put dead trees in our homes? Sounds like the workings of a madman to me.” His blunt summary of the holiday got a snort of laughter from you in spite of yourself. You shot him an amused smirk once you were certain that no one was paying attention.

“No offense, but I think your viewpoint on all that Jesus talk is a little biased,” you teased, and he rolled his eyes before perching up on one of the sugar boxes behind the counter.

“Come on, you know what I mean. I’m not saying people can’t have faith in the stuff, it’s sorta what keeps me in business. I’ve just never been to a birthday party where everyone _else_ gets presents, y’know?” he explained, and you had to admit, he was onto something. You didn’t really appreciate how commercial the season had gotten either, considering the only people you called family were your close knit group of friends. It upset you more than you’d care to admit how the average customer would gripe about seeing parents or relatives for the holidays, and more than once, you’d made a passive aggressive comment under your breath about how it must’ve been nice to have the choice.

“[y/n]? Can you hear me in there?” Dan’s goofy, mocking tone pulled you back to the conversation at hand, and once he caught sight of your confused expression, his own tugged into a wide grin. “Hey, welcome back. I was asking if you do any decorating, or shit like that. Oh! We could totally do that together! As long as there’s not too many crosses involved. Last time I tried to step foot into a church...well, let’s just say the smell of brimstone isn’t a very nice one in confined spaces.”

Giggling softly at his joke, you paused in thought before shaking your head. “I don’t usually string lights or hang ornaments, or anything for that matter. I’ve always lived alone, so it never seemed like a big deal.” Glancing in his direction, you felt your heart melt at the sight of his hopeful expression. At least he still seemed to enjoy your company, despite not returning your affections. Wanting to spend quality time with you was better than nothing. “...But I guess we could this year, considering you kinda live there, too.”

“Awesome! I’ll go pick up the stuff while you’re on shift. Don’t worry about where I get it from.” Before you could ask him what that meant, Dan jumped from behind the counter, striding into the guest bathroom without another word. When he came back out, he was in his human disguise again, tossing a wink your way before moving silently out the door. You felt a pang of jealousy at the sight of every woman - and even a couple of men - staring after him as he left. Taking a deep breath, you reminded yourself that he would look attractive to any mortal, considering what he did and his methods of obtaining what he wanted. He certainly had you wrapped around his finger, that was for sure.

The rest of the day went on as usual, with the lack of an occasional teasing jab from your favorite invisible coworker. You clocked out quickly once the day was over, hoping to get home between rain storms so whatever Dan had obtained wouldn’t get too wet on his trip back. As you waited patiently outside of the cafe, you wondered for a fleeting moment if Danny had gotten lost while on the hunt for Christmas decorations. Just as you were about to see if you could search him out with your soul, a tap on your shoulder made you instinctively turn around. “There you are! I was starting to-”

The sentence died in your throat as a pair of soulless black eyes stared you down.

Immediately, a wave of cold shivered its way down your spine, and the world around you plunged into foggy darkness. There before you stood the infamous Dark, a fanged grin making him appear somehow more intimidating. “Well, well...what have we here? Danny boy left his toy unattended. How...unfortunate.” His black clawed hand moved up slowly, caressing your cheek as he softly spoke. But where the motion would fill your heart with warmth if Dan had done it, his only filled you with a sense of impending dread.

“W-what do you want?” you whispered, shrinking away from his touch as you clutched your bag closer to your side. The fact that he had found you alone so easily worried you. Was he keeping tabs on the two of you? Or maybe your bad luck was biting you in the ass as usual. Either way, you ironically prayed with all of your might that Dan would find you soon, before…

“Oh, I think you know exactly what I’m here for,” Dark purred softly, his split voice wrapping around your mind and tightening its hold. “Since you were left unattended, I figured that I would oh, so kindly remind you that you have one month left to say your goodbyes to your soul, along with that mistake of a demon that you call a... _love_ interest.” He spat out the word of affection in the same tone that someone would refer to a maggot.

Finding an unexpected ripple of bravery at his suggestive wording, you stiffened your stance, staring the demon directly in the eye. “He’s not my love interest. Dan has no feelings for me, he’s just a good friend.”

Your unwavering statement shocked Dark, but only for a moment, and in an instant, his face broke into a chilling grin. “Oh...he hasn’t told you, then? That’s cute. You might be bound to him, but he’s clearly better at hiding his infatuation than you are. I can peek into his heart whenever I wish, you see. Perks of being his kingpin. Maybe I should inform you about Vera…”

“H-huh?” Despite your best efforts, you felt a flicker of hope blossom in your chest. What did Dark know that Danny wasn’t letting you in on? Maybe the feeling of adoration wasn’t as one sided as you first thought…Shaking your head, you realized what the unfeeling demon was trying to do. And you weren’t about to fall for it. “N-no, you’re wrong. I’ve already accepted that Dan will never love me, so don’t try playing with my emotions, asshole. It’s hard enough to stomp them down without you giving me false desires.”

Chuckling quietly, Dark gave a careless shrug as he stepped back from you, his cane tapping unnaturally loudly against the pavement. “Just trying to help. If you don’t believe me, why not ask him yourself? Bring up that name and watch him blanch. Until next month, [y/n]...but I’m sure with this tidbit of information, I’ll be seeing your soul quite soon.” The fog around you grew thick and dense, causing you to shield your eyes against it. Once you lowered your arm, the bustling city streets had returned to you, and Dark was gone.

“[y/n]!” Dan’s familiar voice caused you to whip around, relief washing over your entire body as he bounded up to you, arms laden with bags of red and green decorations. He still appeared to you as a human, more than likely to avoid passerby seeing a group of floating shopping supplies. “Jesus, I actually thought you’d gone home without me for a sec.” His smile was so warm and welcoming, and after what you’d just endured, you couldn’t help yourself, practically falling into a hug with him as he let out a small ‘oof’ in response. “Man, I know you were without my amazing comedy for most of the day, but did you really miss me that much?” he joked, laughing softly as he did his best to hug you back with his hands occupied.

As you pulled away, you shot him a tired grin. “Let’s just say my day was more stressful than I would’ve liked it to be.” The name that Dark had given you popped into your head at that moment, but you brushed it aside, not wanting to upset your demon if it actually did have some kind of emotional meaning. Though a part of you was still curious… “Come on, let’s get home. You mind if we walk? I’m kinda tapped out on supernatural travel for one week.” You made the decision then and there that you weren’t going to allow Dark to infiltrate your thoughts. They ran erratically enough without his help.

Thankfully, unlike the grim beast, yours was much more understanding. Tossing another smirk your way, Dan nodded in agreement, meeting your stride as the two of you began to walk down the sidewalk, chatting and laughing all the way to your humble abode.

~~~

“Wow, I can’t remember the last time my apartment looked this nice.”

You were standing in the center of the living space of your home, glancing from wall to wall with a wide grin on your face. With Dan’s help, the Christmas decorations had gone up without a hitch, strings of multicolored lights stretching from one side of the flat to the other. Stockings had been hung on the kitchen island in place of the absent chimney, and various glass snowman trinkets had been set artfully across every available countertop. A miniature plastic tree was all he had been able to find last minute, but it was adorned with so many beautiful bulbs and tinsel that it almost looked real. All in all, it was gorgeous, and you had Danny to thank for it.

“Why, thank you. I aim to please,” the demon in question hummed from his place on the couch, sticking up the last of the lights behind it before flopping down onto the cushions below. He gestured for you to join him, and you happily obliged, sitting close as his arm naturally wrapped around your shoulders. You sat in silence for a moment, admiring the twinkling lights and soft colors that surrounded you.

After a beat, you looked up at Dan with a soft smile. “Thanks for convincing me to do this, Dan. I gotta say, for a guy after my soul, you certainly know how to treat it well. I-If we can’t get out of this contract, I’m glad I at least got to know you.” Your words seemed to have an instant effect on him, and he flushed deeply, his grip tightening slightly on your arm.

“I can safely say the same thing, [y/n],” he murmured softly, tone suddenly serious as he turned to you, causing your breath to catch in your throat. Maybe Dark had been onto something after all...There was a tense few seconds as he looked from your eyes to your lips, and back again. If you were just a bit braver, you would have already closed the gap between the two of you.

But as always, the moment passed, and your demonic friend sighed sadly before leaning away, his head falling onto the back of the couch as he spoke towards the ceiling, almost as if he were ashamed of his actions. “Look, I-I don’t want you to think that I hate you, or anything…” he muttered, trying his best to stare anywhere but directly at you. “I just have a...a trust issue with humans. It’s not your fault, it’s mine, cheesy as that shit sounds. I guess what I’m trying to say is...I-I’m sorry, [y/n].” His eyes suddenly met yours, and his sorrowful expression was enough to break your heart. You found yourself reaching out to him, fingers gently stroking his cheek as he shuddered softly under your touch.

“Hey, i-it’s okay. You’re allowed to make the choice, and if it’s not what you want, th-then I’ll support your decision. I’m not gonna pretend that I’m not disappointed, because I do...care about you a lot.” Your heart was hammering wildly in your chest now, astounded that you had nearly told him outright that you were in love with him. It was just so easy with him… “Clearly the human that wronged you didn’t understand that. Whether you’re a demon or not, you’re still a living being, and I’m sure it still hurts just as much when you’re taken advantage of.” It was a stab in the dark, but something in the way Danny acted towards any feelings of intimacy with you - along with the wide eyed stare he was giving you at your statement - told you that you had hit the nail on the head. Feeling brave, you reached out slowly, placing your hand on top of his before giving it a loving squeeze. “J-just know that I would never expect anything more out of you than your friendship. Because honestly, even if you do take my soul, you’ll always have a place in my heart.”

The silence that followed was suddenly cut short by a forced sigh from Danny, and he closed his eyes as his fingers tightened around your supportive grip. “There’s a good reason why Dark doesn’t want me hanging around with you for very long. Last time I pulled a stunt like this, it damn near got me a ticket out of damnation. But I was careless and stupid, I believed things I shouldn’t have because the promise of freedom was more appealing than the underlying truth. I-I fell in love with a woman - a human that I’d been bound to…”

“Vera.” The name slipped out before you could stop it, your eyes widening as the hand holding Dan’s shot up to clamp over your mouth. But the damage was done. Danny’s face paled in an instant as his head whipped up to face your guilty expression.

“How...how do you know her name?” His incredulous face quickly drew into a tight frown, and for the first time, you saw genuine anger in his dark, red eyes. “Do you know her? What, is she like, your great-grandmother, or some shit? Suddenly your crazy old relative’s ramblings at Thanksgiving have a little solid ground to stand on, huh?” His hands found their way into his wild hair, tugging at it slightly as he let out a frustrated, inhuman snarl. “I can’t fucking believe this. I’m just doomed to make the same goddamned mistakes for centuries, aren’t I? Guess it’s just my sworn fucking duty to be pushed around and stepped on.” 

His barrage of accusations were enough to make you shrink into yourself, and you rapidly shook your head, tears pricking the corners of your eyes as you struggled to find your voice. “N-n-no, it’s not like that! I was...when you left to get the decorations today, Dark found me. H-he told me that name, and said it was the r-reason why you...” You couldn’t get the rest of the sentence out, too afraid of what it might do to the already tense demon.

You could see Dan’s fury melt away to fear in an instant, his hands reaching up to lightly hold your shoulders as he pulled you in for a comforting hug. “Oh, shit. Oh, my God...I’m so fucking sorry. That was so unfair of me to just lay into you like that. And after you had to deal with that bag of dicks today, too. That dude is the most physically and emotionally draining son of a bitch I know. Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” The demon’s fawning over you swiftly brought a blush to your face, and you shook your head against his chest as you simply allowed him to hold you.

“N-no, I’m okay. He just wanted to remind us that we’ve only got a month left before he’ll take over for you. And then he mentioned Vera and...I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t want you to have to worry about me.” You could hear Dan’s heart beating, and it seemed to speed up when you mentioned him not needing to protect you. Which was why his next statement wasn’t all that surprising, though it still managed to make your own chest throb painfully.

“‘Don’t want me to-’? Baby, I always want to be here for you. Don’t ever feel like you have to hide anything from me, okay? I worry about you because I care about you,” he murmured softly, pulling away to gently stroke your flushed cheek. After a short pause, Dan gave you a soft smirk. “Hey, I can think of one thing I could do for you that might make you feel better. But I wanna ask properly before I do it this time.” Unable to form words, your mind raced as his eyes met yours, the dull red diminishing completely as they sparkled with pure adoration.

“[y/n]...can I kiss you?”

You felt your heart swell as it pounded against your ribs, and you nodded all too eagerly, which got a warm chuckle from the demon. Without another word, he leaned in, but unlike before, there was no resistance. You closed your eyes as his lips finally touched yours, your hands groping for some kind of purchase as his found their way around your waist. It was obvious to you now that the first ‘fake’ kiss from the other day had been all show, as now your mouths moved perfectly against one another, almost as if you were made for one another. Dan then tilted his head to deepen the kiss, while you gripped his shoulders for dear life, almost as if he were an anchor keeping you on solid ground. 

Suddenly, his tongue swiped over your bottom lip, and you nearly felt your heart stop, parting your mouth open in an instant for him as he explored it expertly with the teasing muscle. Despite your best efforts, you let out a soft moan as your hands found their way into his hair. As your fingers twirled around his curly locks, you accidentally gave them a gentle tug, and the groan that escaped Dan in that moment nearly turned you to a puddle on the sofa cushions. Curious, you pulled a bit harder, and he growled before teasing your lip between his teeth, pulling away to give you a smug smirk.

“You keep that up, baby, and we might not just be making out here tonight,” he purred, and you shuddered in pleasure at the thought, shooting the demon a grin of your own.

“Who said I’d be against that?” you snarked back, and he let out a low chuckle before standing from the couch, sweeping you up in his arms as he peppered your face and neck with more sweet kisses.

“I knew there was a reason why I loved you,” Danny hummed softly, causing you to blush and hide your face in his neck as he carried you into your bedroom. You knew in your heart that it had to be the case, but hearing him say it aloud was a magic in itself, one that filled your body with a warm admiration that pooled into your stomach as your needs cried out to be fulfilled. And it seemed that the demon was more than happy to satisfy them. He placed you gently on your bed, leaning over you to give you another chaste kiss before stepping back to tug off his shirt. “You sure you’re still okay? If we’re going too fast, you’ll let me know, right?” His concern for you was enough to make you swoon all over again, and any remaining doubts of what was about to transpire went out the window in an instant.

“Yes, I’m fine, thank you. Now, let’s see what the beast of lust is hiding under all of that leather and denim,” you teased playfully. Dan shot you a coy smile before tugging his studded belt from his lithe waist. Despite appearing so thin while clothed, you had to admit, he had a rather impressive body, muscular definition peeking out ever so slightly from his flexing arms and toned middle. You could only imagine what he’d look like fully nude.

Seems you didn’t have long to wait and find out, as he was more than eager to remove the rest of his attire, standing before you in nothing but a pair of boxers that were...covered in a pattern of dachshund puppies. You let out a string of giggles before you could stop it, and Dan glanced down, looking back up at you before shrugging his shoulders with a wide grin. “What can I say? They’re cute as fuck, right?”

If anything, his blunt reaction only made you adore him even more, and you gestured for him to come closer. “They’re adorable. I love them, almost as much as I love you,” you retorted sweetly as he obliged your wishes, sitting next to you before leaning in for a passionate kiss. After pulling back, you reached out and took his hands, leading them down to your waist while you shot him a wink. “Now...what do you say you help me out of my clothes, hot stuff?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyy, just in time for Valentine's Day! ...And you and Danny are celebrating Christmas in this chapter. Yyyyeah, I've been sitting on this one for a while. >w>;;
> 
> Just as a gentle reminder, I don't really write sex scenes in my fics. I've got three main reasons for this:  
> 1\. I'm already using Danny's likeness to make these, it seems a bit too personal to have him doing the dirty as well (besides, it's not like there's a lack of R rated Dan-fics out there already).  
> 2\. Avoiding sex scenes helps me skim over finer details that may gender the reader, and I try to make my stories as inclusive as possible so anyone can read and enjoy.  
> 3\. I'm just straight up not good at writing sexual stuff. At least, not for a major audience anyway. >3<
> 
> So yeah, if you're looking for anything more sexual than Dan standing around in his boxers, sorry to say you have the wrong writer. I hope any new readers understand my reasons for this, and I wish all of my lovely fans a wonderful day!~ <3


End file.
